The X File
by AhmoseInarus
Summary: AU-Agents Mulder and Scully have reached a dead end as they hunt down a psychic murderer. They call in the BAU to help them track this person down. But almost immediately, the UnSub finds himself drawn to Reid's mind like a moth to the flame. SLASH Hotch/Reid
1. Chapter 1

The X Files

Hatochiisai

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Criminal Minds, OR the X Files

Hotch/Reid

This was originally supposed to be in the Hotch/Reid series of fics that I have been writing, but on further consideration, I do count this as a "stand alone" fic. It's just too… AU. While I do base what happened BEFORE this fic on my Hotch/Reid series, the series itself will NOT acknowledge any events in THIS fic.

* * *

Chapter 1

* * *

A man and a woman stood over the broken, mangled body. This was the seventh incident. There had been a death almost every week. Every death in this town happened in public places. With witnesses. But none of them were talking. They were all too scared that they would be the next victim.

The woman sighed and knelt, her red hair falling around her face as she inspected the body. The brown haired man echoed her sigh.

"We know how he's doing it." The man said. "But why? And who is he?"

"Or she…" The woman mused, then stood. "Mulder… we've been on this case for weeks. And we're no closer to finding this guy—"

"Or girl."

"—or girl, then we were when we got here."

"What do you propose?" The man asked his partner.

"… I think we need to call in help." She said. The man snorted slightly and smiled.

"And who will help us, Scully?"

"… I'm going to put in a call to an old friend." Scully said, and pulled out her phone, dialing. "Yes, this is Agent Dana Scully… I'd like to be connected to SSA David Rossi… Thank you… Agent Rossi, this is Dana Scully. I was in your classes at the Academy there at Quantico well… a couple of decades ago… yes sir, I'm well, thank you. I'm surprised you remember me, actually… yes sir. Listen… I'm working a case with my partner with seven bodies and we've hit a dead end. But I think that your expertise could really help us. I was wondering if… sorry? Oh… well, it's kind of hard to explain, sir, I… Oh. I see. Thank you. I'll see you soon."

"… David Rossi? The profiler?" Mulder asked.

"Yeah." Scully said. "The BAU is going to come help us out."

"You didn't tell him HOW the victims were killed. You know how other Agents are with us and our cases. Why will they be any different?"

* * *

"Dave… we're supposed to use JJ's week off finishing paperwork." Hotch almost laughed as he stared at the man before him.

"Well, now we have something more interesting to do." Rossi said with a smile and a shrug.

"One of your students?"

"Yeah. Dana Scully. Smart girl." Rossi said.

"What department?"

"… I dunno." Rossi admitted. Hotch sighed and shook his head, then stood.

"Alright. Let's see if the team is up for it." He said, and they walked out into the bullpen. "BAU, round table room, please." And they gathered.

"I thought we didn't have any cases while JJ's gone." Morgan said as they walked in.

"I got a call from a student of mine from way back." Rossi said. "She and her partner are working a case with seven bodies. They've been on this case for almost a month now."

"A month and no leads?" Prentiss asked, skeptically.

"They're not profilers." Rossi said.

"Who is this woman?" Morgan asked.

"Agent Scully." Rossi said. Reid frowned and looked up.

"Scully?" He asked. "Dana Scully? Hmmm…" He looked thoughtful. "I'd like to go."

"You know her, Reid?" Hotch asked, raising an eyebrow.

"No. I've never met her. But I know of her." Reid said. "Besides… we're supposed to use this week to do paperwork—"

"Which is boring. I say we go." Morgan interrupted.

"Uh, actually, I was going to say that I've finished all of mine." Reid said. Morgan and Prentiss both leveled glares on the boy. Reid blinked, innocently. Hotch chuckled.

"Alright then. Wheels up in an hour."

* * *

Mulder looked up when the five Agents walked in. Scully stood, smiling.

"SSA Rossi." She said, holding out her hand. Rossi took it.

"Agent Scully. It's good to see you." The man said.

"Thank you very much for coming out, sir." She said.

"It's no problem. This is Unit Chief Aaron Hotchner."

"Good to meet you, Agent Scully." Hotch said, shaking her hand.

"SSA Derek Morgan." Rossi continued.

"Pleasure." Morgan said, shaking her hand.

"SSA Emily Prentiss."

"Hi."

"And SSA Dr. Reid."

"Hello!" Reid said with a smile, taking her hand. "If I may, I've read about several of your cases and I have a LOT of questions I'd like to ask about—"

"Reid." Hotch said. "Later."

"Oh. Right. Sorry." Reid mumbled, blushing and looking away.

"Uh… right. This is my partner, Fox Mulder." Scully said.

"It's great to meet you, sir." Reid blurted, eagerly. Mulder blinked and raised an eyebrow. "The things that you investigate are so absolutely—"

"Reid." Hotch said firmly, and Reid closed his mouth, looking embarrassed again.

"… Dr. Reid, huh?" Mulder asked. "What kind of doctor?"

"Oh! Um, I have PhD's in Chemistry, Engineering and Mathematics!" Reid announced. "And I also—"

"Reid!" Hotch sighed, exasperated.

"… Sorry." Reid mumbled. Mulder looked amused now, and exchanged looks with Scully.

"So." Rossi said, also looking amused. "Tell us about this case, Agents."

"About two months ago, a man named Matt Jackson was murdered." Scully said, placing a photo of the man down on the table. "It happened in a local bar. In front of a dozen people. But… no one saw the killer." And she lay down crime scene photos.

"Oh my God…" Prentiss breathed.

"How could no one see the guy that did THAT?!" Morgan demanded, staring. The boy was mutilated. Bones were snapped… limbs twisted… the body contorted… sprawled haphazardly over the floor like a marionette whose strings had been cut.

"A week later, Denise Walker." Scully said, laying out more photos. One of a smiling woman, and then several of her mangled body. "Happened in the produce section of the grocery store. Seven witnesses. No one saw the killer."

"… Wait… how?!" Morgan asked.

"David Geoffries." More photos of a destroyed body. "Gassing up his car. Marshall Petrie on his daily jog. Pamela Fothi at her weekly book club. Daniel Stuart at the bank. And yesterday, Valerie Scoby at the post office."

"… Witnesses?" Hotch asked.

"Every single murder." Scully said.

"And no one saw the killer." Morgan said, looking skeptical. "How."

"Because. He's not physically touching them." Mulder said, finally speaking up. "Look." And he picked up a remote control, turning on the TV and pressing play on the VCR. The BAU watched.

Daniel Stuart was leaving the bank. He walked across the lobby, but then suddenly fell back as if he had been punched in the face. He slowly moved to sit up, but was struck to the floor again. And then, to the shock of the team, his arm was jerked up high into the air… and the man was literally hanging from it. The man was screaming as his arm and one of his legs began to twist. Within moments, his entire body was suspended in the air with NOTHING holding him up. Nothing was touching him, but his body was twisting and writhing… joints were popping… bones were breaking… They had never seen anything like it.

"… Impossible." Morgan breathed.

"The witnesses report similar happenings in every case." Scully said.

"How is this possible?!" Prentiss gasped.

"You'd be surprised how many so called 'impossibilities' are real. 'There are more things in heaven and earth than are dreamt of in your philosophy'." Mulder said.

"… Hamlet." Reid said.

"… Yes." Mulder said.

"What is your explanation?" Reid asked him.

"The killer is telepathic and telekinetic." Mulder said, calmly. "When Scully and I got here, he tried to read our minds. You can feel it. A pressure, and then flashes of thoughts and memories, like he's channel surfing in your head. But you can block him out. If you stay, he'll try to get into your head, too. Hopefully he won't do more."

"You think he's doing this with his mind?" Reid asked, looking at the man with intense interest.

"Yes." Mulder said, looking Reid in the eye. "This town is full of stories of things moving on their own. A year ago, a little girl ran into the street in front of an 18 wheeler. No less than twenty eight people saw it. The truck slammed into an invisible wall only five feet from her. It was going fifty miles an hour and was totaled."

"We want you to work a profile and help us find the guy." Scully said.

"you want us to find a psychic murderer?" Rossi asked. "What department are you from?"

"… They work the X Files." Reid said.

"… The X Files?" Prentiss asked.

"They investigate the unknown and unexplained." Reid said. "Things that could be considered unnatural, supernatural or even extraterrestrial." The team stared.

"… I think we need to talk this over." Hotch said, frowning, and the BAU stepped out of the room.

"I told you." Mulder snorted at Scully, and went back to work.

Outside the door, the five stood in a circle. They were all looking at Rossi. The man shrugged.

"What do you think?" Hotch asked the man.

"… They have a video. How can we ignore that? You saw it. That was… That was real."

"I thought you didn't believe in psychics." Prentiss said.

"… I thought so too." Rossi said, frowning and crossing his arms.

"I think it's fascinating!" Reid blurted, eyes wide and glowing it delight. "I mean, to think that someone literally has the ability to kill with just a thought?!" Morgan lifted a hand and firmly pressed it over Reid's mouth.

"I think it's ridiculous." Morgan said, shaking his head. "I don't believe it."

"… Now, I don't think that we should just dismiss it." Prentiss said, frowning. "I mean, this isn't the local loony that called us in. They ARE FBI Agents."

"Do you know Agent Mulder's reputation?" Morgan asked, raising an eyebrow. Reid scowled and shoved the man's hand away.

"I think that merely the fact that the FBI has Agents to investigate these things should be good enough." The boy said.

"I think they created that department just to have somewhere to stick Agent Mulder." Morgan snorted.

"They created a department to put him in. Okay." Reid said with a shrug. "Instead of getting rid of him. If the FBI thinks the X Files are worth maintaining and investigating, who are we to question that? If you want to go home and do paperwork for the rest of the week, fine. But I'm done, and I'm staying!" And he crossed his arms and stared defiantly at his team.

"… We have seven bodies." Prentiss said. "And someone killed them. Who are we to say that their deaths aren't worth investigating just because we don't believe in what killed them? I agree with Reid. I think we should look into this."

"Dave?" Hotch asked.

"… Dana Scully was a brilliant student of mine." Rossi sighed. "And she asked for my help. I told her I would give it."

"So be it." Hotch said with a nod. "Morgan. You don't have to stay if you don't want to. You have a stack of paperwork waiting back at the BAU if you want…" He smirked. "And since Prentiss will be working here with us, you can do hers, too."

"What?! Oh, come on, Hotch!" Morgan yelped. Reid and Prentiss grinned. "Alright. Fine. Let's do this." Reid and Prentiss turned, raising their fists and gently knocking them together. "Oh, screw you both."

"Nah." Prentiss said, patting Reid on the shoulder. "That's Hotch's job." Reid's eyes widened and he flushed. Hotch, Rossi and Morgan just grinned and chuckled, and they all stepped back into the small room. Scully looked up.

"Show us everything you've got." Hotch said, and Scully smiled as the BAU all pulled up chairs. Reid immediately parked himself next to Mulder, and within minutes the two Agents had their heads together and were in deep discussion. Reid was rapid firing questions and Mulder was giving him long winded answers of his ideas and theories.

Eventually, Reid went off like a living speaking text book, and was holding Mulder's rapt attention. When Reid finally stopped his random recitation, Mulder made an argument for what he said, and Reid went off on another rushed mini-lecture. Scully stared at them, then looked at Rossi with a raised eyebrow.

"… Does he always sound like that?"

"Yes." Morgan, Hotch, Rossi and Prentiss all said in unison with smiles that were a combination of amused tolerance and affectionate patience.

They spent the entire day going over every detail of the case. Scully worked with Hotch, Prentiss, Morgan and Rossi. Reid and Mulder spent the day trapped in their own worlds, not even noticing when the others broke for lunch. Scully and the BAU team found the pair quite amusing. They eventually had to snatch the papers right out of their hands.

"Reid. Time to head back to the motel." Hotch said. Reid blinked.

"… For lunch?" Reid asked. The group snickered.

"… For bed." Hotch said. Mulder checked his watch.

"Oh. Wow." The man said, then stood and stretched. "Guess so." Reid looked surprised.

"What motel are you at, Agent Mulder?" He asked.

"Same you're at, Dr. Reid." Mulder replied. Reid opened his mouth, but Hotch cut him off.

"You two are NOT going to stay up all night working on this." He said, firmly. "We all need some SLEEP. But right now we need to figure out sleeping arrangements. I was only able to get two rooms…"

"Um, I'm in a room with a queen." Scully said. "Agent Prentiss can stay with me."

"Please, call me Emily." Prentiss said with a smile, which Scully returned with a nod. "And I think I will, thanks. I appreciate it, Agent Scully."

"Dana." Scully said, and the pair walked out, talking. The men stared after them for a moment, then followed. Hotch picked up some fast food for Reid on their way to the motel, and they headed to their room. Rossi and Morgan had the room next door. They opened the door.

"… A queen." Rossi drawled. "… Flip you for it." And he held up a coin. Morgan groaned. Hotch chuckled and opened the door to the other room.

"… Two fulls." He said. "What do you think Reid? Wanna push them together?" Reid laughed when Rossi and Morgan gave Hotch a look before shoving past the Unit Chief into the room. Morgan plucked the key out of Hotch's fingers.

"You suck, Hotch."

"Goodnight, Aaron." Rossi snorted, and he slammed the door in Hotch's face. Reid burst out laughing again. Hotch just grinned and followed Reid into the room with the queen.

Across the street, a pair of unblinking deep midnight blue eyes watched the men disappear into their rooms. The wind tossed strands of dark chocolate brown hair about the pale face. He waited. Eventually, the lights turned off. He waited another hour. And then, he closed his eyes and reached out. First, the woman. He touched her sleeping mind.

Emily Prentiss. From her mind, he picked up that she was from the FBI. Behavioral Analysis Unit… He blinked his eyes open. He wasn't quite sure what that meant… he would have to look into it… He closed his eyes and concentrated again. He got flashes from her… Bits and pieces of her life. She was a strong woman. She would not be easily manipulated. She was like the other woman. The red head. Scully, or whatever her name was… He would not be able to use her very much…

The UnSub moved his mind and picked up on the elder male. David Rossi. Hm… He had come out of retirement. A retirement that he had spent writing books about his work and touring and lecturing. Hm. Some retirement. And he had a mind like a steel trap. He would be able to feel every poke and prod… every attempt of the UnSub to manipulate him. But at the same time, his skepticism might make him ignore it… The Unsub might be able to use him, he might not…

He tuned his mind into that of the man sleeping in the bed next to Rossi's. Ah… a dark past with this one. A trauma in his youth. Abuse. Dark emotions that the UnSub would be able to manipulate. This man, this Derek Morgan… he might be of use. He would wait and see how his mental defenses were when he was awake.

The UnSub turned to the next room. Ah. The leader. Unit Chief. SSA Aaron Hotchner. A former prosecutor. And there was much pain in this man, too… His wife had left him. She had taken his son. And he missed them. Well… he missed his son. But wait… Ah. He had a new love in his life. As much as he regrets his divorce, he is happy with this new person. Who was it…? Oh… now THIS was interesting. It was the young man sleeping next to him. His subordinate. The UnSub smiled to himself. He might be able to use this… Emotions were so hard for people to control sometimes. And if it came down to it, he would be able to use those emotions against this man… he would be a formidable opponent.

He turned his attentions to the last. The youngest. And his eyes snapped open. They were glazed and unfocused. This mind…

"Oh…" The soft voice breathed.

This mind was like no mind he had ever touched before. It was as vast and deep as the sea. There were no visible boundaries. So much information! It seemed almost inhuman… It was powerful. So powerful. But… so delicate. This mind had almost no defenses up around it. He would be able to invade easily and take hold. The UnSub shook his head in amazement. The opportunities with this mind were endless… This young man. He could use him. He WOULD use him. Yes. This was his secret weapon. The ace up his sleeve.

He returned to himself and walked down the street, disappearing into the night.

If these Agents managed to corner him, they would soon find themselves facing a difficult choice. To get to him, they would have to get through Spencer Reid.

* * *

AN: okay, so I borrowed the UnSub from another show. First to tell me what show he comes from gets to "commission" a PWP one shot pairing up Reid with Hotch and/or Morgan!!!


	2. Chapter 2

The X Files

Hatochiisai

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Criminal Minds, OR the X Files

Hotch/Reid

* * *

Chapter 2

* * *

Hotch blinked his eyes open when Reid stretched in his arms, groaning as joints popped. The man opened his eyes and smiled, placing his hand on Reid's cheek and turned his head to the side, gently kissing him.

"Mmm… morning…" Reid sighed.

"Morning. Come on. Up." Hotch said, and stood. He went and grabbed a shower. When he came out, Reid was sprawled out across the bed, snoozing. Hotch sighed and shook his head with a smile, walking over and sitting down on the edge of the bed. He leaned over Reid and kissed him gently. Reid sighed, turning his head into the kiss.

"I like waking up to that…" He murmured.

"Get your lazy ass out of bed or I'll beat it to wake you next time." Hotch threatened. Reid raised an eyebrow, then groaned and rolled out of bed. Yawning, he dragged out a change of clothes and pulled them on. Hotch dressed and soon the pair were leaving their motel room and heading down for breakfast. Prentiss was already there with Scully. They were talking over coffee.

"Morning." Prentiss said, and Scully eyed the two male agents. Hotch nodded good morning. He looked as he had yesterday. Hair neat, suit immaculate; Black with a dark red tie. The young man with him was completely different. His eyes were bleary and hardly open. His hair was a stringy mess. He was wearing a red sweater over a pale yellow button up shirt with brown cords and brown dress shoes. He was wearing a Ninja Turtles sock on his left foot and a plain peach colored sock on the right, and had a leather messenger bag slung over his shoulder.

She watched the boy pour himself some coffee and then dump an obscene amount of sugar into it. Scully made a face, then looked at Prentiss.

"Oh. You get used to that. He lives off of that concoction." She said biting into her Danish. Reid pulled up a chair and sat down, sipping his coffee and yawning into a bowl of Frosted Flakes. Hotch joined them with coffee, a muffin and a banana. Rossi came down next, followed almost immediately by Mulder, and finally Morgan. Soon, the seven Agents were sitting around with orange juice and coffee and discussing the case. Or at least Hotch, Prentiss, Scully, Rossi and Morgan were. Reid and Mulder had once again gone off into their own little world, discussing the possible explanations for people with telepathic or telekinetic abilities.

But soon enough they were back at the police station. There, Hotch separated Reid and Mulder, telling the latter that the former was going to need to be left alone to work; Agent Mulder was too much of a distraction. Mulder chuckled to himself. He could easily believe that. And so Reid was left alone all day in the police station with Garcia on call while everyone else went to talk to witnesses, visit the crime scenes, Prentiss and Scully to re-inspect the bodies.

Rossi and Morgan were the last pair to return. When they got there, they found Hotch, Mulder, Prentiss and Scully all standing outside of the conference room and staring in through the window.

"What's going on?" Morgan asked.

"Reid seems to be onto something." Hotch said with an amused smile. Sure enough, inside the room Reid was a whirlwind. He was running around going through papers and talking rapidly, hands fluttering and flapping about wildly.

"Is he on speaker with Garcia?" Morgan asked.

"Yeah." Prentiss said. "we don't know what he's found but it seems to be big." They watched Reid run past the window, waving papers about. He stopped and turned and stared at the phone for a moment before raising an eyebrow, then shaking is head and hanging up. Then he threw open the door.

"I've got it." He said, almost literally bouncing in his excitement.

"Here we go." Prentiss said, smiling knowingly, and Scully smiled back. She couldn't wait to see this proclaimed genius in action.

"So, I've spent ALL day on the phone with Garcia." Reid began, and the other all sat down. They noticed photos of children now covering the board.

"… There are children involved?" Mulder asked.

"the children are the UnSub's reason." Reid said firmly. "Every single victim had one child. And every child had visits to the ER. And the injuries that ended up killing the victims were mimicries of the injuries that the kids had been in the hospital for. All the children it seems had been suffering physical abuse." Reid said. He laid out photos taken of the children's injuries, and then photos of the victim's injuries. They were the same, only the injuries on the parents were bad enough to be fatal.

"So… He's targeting abusive parents." Hotch said, frowning and passing the photos around.

"The question is…" Reid said. "Is he doing it to punish the parents, or to protect the children?"

* * *

The boy opened his eyes. Dr. Reid was good. Too good. He frowned. He was hoping that he wouldn't have to invade the mind of the young man… it was so complex… he could easily damage it if he wasn't careful. But he had no choice… He closed his eyes again and pressed his mind into Reid's…

* * *

"Either way," Reid said. "It's safe to assume that our UnSub probably sees himself in these children."

"So we're looking for an only child who was abused." Rossi said.

"Probably male…" Hotch agreed with a nod.

"Hey… Have you noticed this?" Prentiss asked, suddenly. "All the kids are the same age. They're all nine."

"Really?" Scully asked, leaning over Prentiss's shoulder and looked. "What does that mean?"

"If this UnSub is telekinetic… what if he's killed before? He could have gotten away with it. If someone looked like they were beaten to death, no one would suspect the victim's nine year old child." Reid asked. "With serial killers, often the first victim is the most important. What if it was his own abuser?"

"He killed his abuser when he was nine… and set himself free. So now he's doing this for other children…" Morgan agreed, nodding.

Mulder and Scully sat in silence, listening to the profilers bouncing ideas around and finishing each other's thoughts. They were clearly a well oiled machine.

"An abused child will be one of two things. Angry and aggressive or withdrawn and submissive." Prentiss said.

"With powers like telekinesis and telepathy, an angry and aggressive child would not be able to keep a low profile. He would have exposed himself to others. He would get off on the fear he would inspire." Reid said. "So he's obviously quiet and careful to stay under the radar and not be noticed. He… uh… he… he…" Reid stammered. The other Agents all looked at him.

"… Reid?" Hotch called, frowning. Reid's eyes moved in and out of focus and he swayed slightly. He winced and lifted a hand to his head.

"I… what…?" Reid mumbled, then staggered and groaned before collapsing.

"Reid!" Morgan yelped, and the Agents all ran around the table and knelt. Reid was trying to get up, looking scared and confused. But with another groan, he laid himself down on the floor, holding his head.

"… It's him." Mulder hissed, standing over the group. "It's the killer."

* * *

Outside, the boy gasped and slumped against the wall. This mind… Oh God… He had opened a door that he should have left closed!

* * *

Reid cried out piteously, writhing on the floor as if in pain. His team looked terrified. Mulder and Scully looked tense. Suddenly, Reid gasped and jerked, then relaxed. He opened his eyes.

"… Oh my God!" Prentiss gasped, and a strange choked cry escaped from Hotchner. Reid stared up at them… but those were not Reid's warm brown eyes. They were a dark, midnight blue.

"Leave." He said, suddenly. But the voice was not Reid. It was younger. But it was… so dead and lifeless. Monotone. Thin, empty… dry. Like the rustling of dead leaves. "You are good people. I do not wish to hurt you. But I will do what I have to."

Slowly, Mulder knelt.

"Who are you?" He asked.

"… No one." Said the voice coming from Reid's body. "Leave me. I will complete my work here, and then I will leave."

"What's your name?" Mulder asked.

"Where is Dr. Reid?" Scully gasped, kneeling.

"… He is a good person. I have not hurt him. I will give him back to you. Take him and go home. Leave me to my work." And then Reid's eyes fell closed. He gasped and his body convulsed slightly before going limp. A moment later, Reid jerked. His eyes snapped open and he struggled to sit up.

"Hotch!?" He cried. The man was by his side, pulling Reid close and holding him. Reid clung, looking terrified. "… He… He was in my head…" Reid whimpered. "He… was looking at me."

"Are you okay?" Morgan asked. The man looked scared. Reid looked at him.

"I… I don't know… I think so…" The boy gasped, and lifted a hand to his head.

"Here." Rossi said, and handed Reid a cup of hot coffee. Reid accepted it with shaking hands and sipped it.

"… His mother… she was an alcoholic." Reid breathed, staring off into space. "She was always too drunk to care about what his father was doing to him… He watched his mother slowly kill herself. And then he killed his father."

"How do you know?" Scully asked.

"… I saw it." Reid gasped, staring up not at Scully, but at Mulder. "When he came into my mind… I… I could see into his. And… he was scared. I don't think I was supposed to be able to do that. I could feel him. He… He didn't know what to do. He… he wanted to know how a mind like mine could have such weak defenses… and yet how invading my mind broke down HIS defenses… allowing my mind to invade his in return… For a bit… he was afraid that he wouldn't be able to break off the connection he had made…"

"Did you see him? What he looks like? Did you get his name?" Mulder demanded to know.

"… No." Reid mumbled, now looking guilty. "No, I didn't. God… my head…" He turned and slowly began struggling to his feet. Hotch and Morgan were on each side of him, helping him up.

"You need to lie down." Hotch said. "You look sick." And he helped Reid into the break room and lay him down on the sofa.

"Now what?" Morgan asked when Hotch returned.

"We find this son of a bitch." The Unit Chief snarled.

"… You're taking this personally." Scully said.

"… I consider what the UnSub just did an attack on my team." Hotch growled.

"Now it is personal." Rossi confirmed.

"I think you should send him away." Mulder said, suddenly.

"What? Who?" Morgan asked.

"Dr. Reid." Mulder said, as if that were obvious. "If his mind is that vulnerable to a psychic attack it's dangerous for him to stay here."

"… Reid won't leave." Morgan sighed, shaking his head. "Even if he were ordered to. Even if we did get him to leave, he would resent us for it for the rest of his life."

"Morgan's right." Hotch said. "He was the one who fought hardest for us to take this case. He won't leave it. Reid is… determined. The best thing we can to is get the UnSub as quick as possible."

"Guys." Everyone turned.

"Reid, go back and lie down." Hotch said, firmly.

"… What is it?" Morgan asked, seeing the grim look on Reid's face. The sheriff was standing behind Reid.

"We have another body, Agents." The man said.

And twenty minutes later, they were staring down at the body of Renee Eckles. They were in the cafeteria of the local high school. The attack had happened in front of seventy students. Several of them were now in the nurse's office, hysterical. Prentiss was interviewing them. Rossi, Morgan and Scully were interviewing the other students who were witnesses. Reid and Hotch were inspecting the body while Mulder lurked around.

Reid sighed and stood. "… I'll call Garcia." He said. "Have her check into any hospital visits for the victim's child." Reid said, turning and pulling out his phone. Hotch sighed and watched the boy. Then, he frowned. Mulder was watching Reid, too. Hotch walked over to the agent.

"Agent Mulder."

"Hm?"

"Something on your mind?"

"… I think that the killer is one of the students who witnessed the attack." Mulder said.

"Why do you think that?" Hotch asked.

"It's a general agreement that telekinetics must have visual contact with whatever they are manipulating."

"… Are you saying that the UnSub was in the police station when he entered Reid's mind?"

"No. That was a form of Telepathy. All they have to do is mentally feel for that. But telekinesis... He would have to see the victim to be able to affect her. I think. I'm not entirely sure, but…"

"So we should apply the profile to these kids?" Hotch suggested.

"… It wouldn't hurt." Mulder said with a shrug. Hotch nodded. "There's another problem, though."

"What?"

"… If the… UnSub is one of the kids… he now knows that you're still working the case. And now we're all vulnerable to a telekinetic attack. And Dr. Reid to another psychic attack."

"He said he didn't want to hurt us." Hotch said as Reid walked over to them.

"He also said that he would do what he had to do to finish his work." Mulder pointed out.

"… A serial killer with a mission." Hotch half sighed, half groaned.

"… He's not going to stop until he's caught." Reid finished. Suddenly, his body stiffened and he gasped. His eyes slid out of focus. Hotch's eyes widened and he caught the boy before he fell.

"Reid!" Hotch called as he lowered his subordinate to the floor. Reid didn't respond. He was still and quiet… the lights were on, but nobody was home… Morgan glanced over, but his eyes widened when he saw Hotch and Mulder kneeling by Reid.

"… Rossi!" He gasped. The man turned, and then he and Morgan hurried over. Scully was a few paces behind them. Mulder looked up at them.

"He's here." The man said. They all turned their attention to the group of students that were now watching. But Hotch only had eyes for Reid. The boy's lips were moving silently as if he were speaking. His brow furrowed… he looked confused… almost sad.

In the nurse's office, a boy sat on a chair in the corner, curled up tightly. He was hugging his legs to his chest and had his face hidden in his knees. His eyes were closed and he was breathing heavily as he fought to control the link he had opened between his mind, and that of the FBI Agent…

_Reid stood still, darkness swirling around him. He could feel someone behind him. They stood back to back._

"_Why are you doing this?" Reid asked._

"… _I was given a gift." The boy said behind him. "And with it, I was able to protect myself. But people like me are rare. One in a million. There are so many children out there who are abused like I was. But they cannot protect themselves like I could. So I set them free."_

"_You're killing people."_

"_They deserve to die." The boy told Reid._

"_No. They don't. Yeah, they've done things they shouldn't have, and they should pay for it but… not like this. What you're doing is wrong."_

"_People all over the world beat their children, Dr. Reid." The boy said. "I am stopping them. You hunt me, but you leave them free to continue what they are doing. How is that right?"_

"_We only have one life to live." Reid said. "No one has the right to take that from us. What gives you the right to decide who dies? You're playing as judge, jury and executioner. If you know what they're doing, turn them in and let the law handle it."_

"_Yes. Because my seeing into people's minds will be considered grounds to arrest someone?" The boy scoffed. Reid was silent. "I have no tangible evidence. All I have is what I see in their minds."_

"_And how do you know that what you see is real?"_

_The boy seemed to consider this for a moment. "…That is a good question." He said. Then Reid felt a pressure in his mind. The boy was invading it. "You are involved with your boss." The boy said, suddenly. Reid's eyes widened. "You wear a ring on your finger holding his birthstone. You got together a few days after Halloween last year. You were snowed in and sleeping in his room in his bed. You had a nightmare and he woke you from it. And for some reason, one thing led to another and you let him… copulate with you." Reid flushed. "And you liked it. You were raped multiple times by a man named Shane Harvey because a so-called psychic led him to believe that you were his soul mate. You spent Christmas with your boss in Santa Fe. And a couple of years ago you struggled with a drug addiction because a man named Tobias got you hooked on Dilaudid when he abducted you. Hell, he KILLED you. But he brought you back just to try and kill you again... You almost started using again when you saw a man kill a boy in front of you, but when you saved that Owen Savage kid, it helped you to fight off your cravings.  
_

"_Tell me, Dr. Reid? Am I accurate so far?" The boy asked. Reid said nothing. "I am. What I see in people's minds is the truth."_

"_Just because you have these abilities, it doesn't mean you should use them… not like this." Reid said._

"_What am I supposed to do? Dress up in a flashy costume and cape and fight crime?" The boy asked. Reid smiled slightly._

"_Well, Spider-man did say that with great power comes great responsibility." Reid said. The boy was silent. "Are you really that sure that you are using your power responsibly?"_

"… _I am protecting children. Children who are being abused by the person who SHOULD protect them."_

"_I'm not saying you're wrong by wanting to protect them. It's how you're doing it."_

"_At least I am getting results. No one else is for these children." The boy said. Reid was silent. "I am warning you one last time. Leave me to my work. Or I will have to force you."_

"… _You can't scare us away." Reid said._

"… _We'll see."_

"Reid!" Hotch gasped in relief when Reid's eyes blinked and came back into focus.

"I'm okay." The boy breathed, slowly sitting up. "… He… has an accent. English might not be his first language."

"He talked to you?" Mulder asked.

"… Yeah. He's not going to stop. And he says if we don't leave it alone right now, he's prepared to take the offensive against us."

* * *

The FBI Agents trooped into the conference room at the local PD with new photos and files to add to their mounting pile of evidence. Hotch sighed.

"Reid."

"Hm?"

"… I want you to go back to Quantico."

"… What?!" Reid yelped, turning to face Hotch.

"I don't like how this UnSub is targeting you."

"If he was targeting YOU, you wouldn't even consider leaving! And neither will I!" Reid cried. "And besides… he's talking to me! I'm getting a lot of information from him! I might be YOUR key to catching him!"

"He's right." Mulder said.

"Mulder." Scully hissed, shushing him.

"I'm not leaving, Hotch. No way." Reid said, shaking his head. Hotch sighed and rubbed his eyes. He could see that stubborn streak coming out in his subordinate.

"You are NOT to be alone. Anywhere. EVER." Hotch said.

"Fine." Reid said with a nod.

"You think that will protect him?" Mulder asked. "You think us babysitting him will keep him safe?"

"I'm NOT leaving." Reid said firmly.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Still waiting for someone to identify the UnSub... and what show he is from. I'll give you his first name in the next chapter as a clue...


	3. Chapter 3

The X Files

Hatochiisai

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Criminal Minds, OR the X Files

Hotch/Reid Meep! Homosexual intercourse in this chapter!

* * *

Chapter 3

* * *

Across the street from the motel, the UnSub "listened" in on Hotch and Reid making love together in their room... Dark chocolate locks fell into unfocused midnight blue eyes. He waited…

Reid let out a soft mew, then slumped forward into Hotch's arms, spent, resting against his chest. Hotch wrapped the boy in his arms and held him close. Both simply bathed in the warmth of the other, sated.

Outside, the boy closed his eyes. The time was now. He slipped into Reid's mind…

"Spencer?"

"Hm?" Reid sighed.

"We need to talk." Hotch murmured, running a hand up and down Reid's back. Reid blinked and sat back, looking at him. Hotch sighed, looking up at Reid. He lifted a hand and ran it through Reid's hair. "… I love you. You know that, right?"

"… Yes." Reid smiled. "I love you too… What's bothering you?"

"Reid…"

"Uh oh."

"What?"

"You called me Reid." The younger pointed out. Hotch sighed again.

"Reid… when we get back to Quantico… I'm taking you out of the field."

"You… What?" Reid yelped, looking shocked. "Take me out of the field? Hotch! Why?"

"Why? Reid… LOOK at yourself! I never should have let you into the field to begin with! I kept telling myself that you would… grow into being a field agent. But you haven't. You stayed the same." Hotch said. Reid stared at him, stunned.

"Hotch… if this is about my wanting to stay here on this case, I—"

"No. It's not just about that."

"Then what is it about?" Reid cried.

"This is about Owen Savage." Hotch said firmly.

"What? But Hotch, we—"

"This is about Tobias Hankel." Hotch interrupted. Reid froze. "This is about Nathan Harris, the Anthrax, Benjamin Cyrus, Phillip Dowd, Shane Harvey, Jack Vaughn, and God only knows what else."

"… Aaron…?" Reid whimpered, looking near tears. Hotch just stared at him.

"… This is your last case in the field." The Unit Chief said, gently placing his hands on Reid's upper arms. Reid jerked and slapped them away, standing and gathering his clothes. Hotch sighed. "Reid…"

"Don't." Reid gasped, his voice strained. He pulled on his pants and t shirt, not bothering with his boxers, and then his sneakers, not bothering with socks. Hotch sighed and stood.

"Reid. Please understand." He said, reaching out and placing a hand on Reid's shoulder. Reid whirled and glared.

"Understand what?" Reid snapped. "That you don't trust me in the field? So what now? When we get back! Are you going to stick me in some bunker like Garcia? That may be great for her, but I'm a Field Agent, dammit! And you want to take me out of the field?"

"Reid—"

"Damn you, Hotch! You have no right!" Reid was shouting now. He suddenly planted his hands on Hotch's shoulders and shoved. Hotch stumbled back and Reid pursued him. "I am NOT on this team to sit at a desk all day! If you don't trust me to be a Field Agent then you can't trust me to be on your team! And if you can't trust me to be on your team…" Reid's angry shouting was now a strained whimper. "Then how can you trust me as anything else? And… How can I trust you?" A moment later, tears breached his eyes and ran down his face. He looked devastated.

"Reid… I'm doing this because I care about you." Hotch said, staring Reid in the eye. "I love you."

"… Screw you." Reid hissed, then turned, flung open the door to their motel room, and slammed it shut behind him.

The boy stood in the shadows across the street, watching the young agent run down the street. He turned his eyes back to the door of the motel room. Hotch was stumbling out the door, zipping up his jeans and looking around.

"REID!" He called, looking very worried and confused. The boy smirked, and melted into the shadows.

The door to the next motel room opened.

"Hotch! What's going on?" Rossi demanded, and Morgan peered out over his shoulder. Prentiss and Scully poked their heads out of the next room.

"Something's wrong with Reid." Hotch said urgently. "He… He's not right."

"… I'll get Mulder." Scully said, turning and scurrying down to the next room.

"… We'll get dressed." Morgan said, and he and Rossi disappeared into their room again. Five minutes later, they were all in Hotch's room. The man was dressed and pacing, telling the group what had happened (while leaving out the fact that they had been naked and… physically united when it all began).

"-and suddenly, he got upset." Hotch said, waving a hand. "He was yelling at me, upset about me taking him out of the field. Something about sticking him in an office like Garcia… and he… he shoved me and started shouting… about how if I don't trust him in the field then I don't trust him at all and why should he trust me and then… he left."

"What were his eyes like?" Mulder asked.

"… Confused. Unfocused."

"The UnSub." Mulder sighed. "Whatever Dr. Reid saw and heard… he made him see and hear it."

"… But… why?" Prentiss asked. But Hotch was looking horrified.

"… To get him away from us." The man gasped.

"… To get him alone." Morgan said. The pair stared at each other, then bolted for the door.

* * *

Reid dropped to his knees, gasping for breath, his entire body shaking from the exertion of running as far and as fast as he had run. At least, that's what he tried to tell himself. But he knew it wasn't completely true. He closed his eyes as he felt the burning of tears within them. A moment later, a ragged sob escaped his chest.

Hotch…

How could he? _How could he?_

"AHNG!" Reid exclaimed, slamming his fists into the ground. "That son of a bitch…" He whimpered, the tears blurring his vision. "Dammit…"

"No one is ever there for you."

Reid gasped and jerked his head up. A figure was moving towards him. A moment later, the figure stepped out of the shadows and into the moonlight. Slowly, Reid stood. He stared at a boy approximately fifteen years old. He was about 5'3" with a slight build. He had pale lily white skin with short, dark brown hair and midnight blue eyes. He was Japanese…

"It's you." Reid gasped. "Who are you?"

"The one who is always ignored." The boy said.

"What's your name?"

"… Nagi."

"… You did this." Reid breathed. "Hotch… he…"

"I only made him say what he wanted to." Nagi said in his monotone voice… It seemed so… alien to Reid. So dead to emotion… soft and frail. "We are always hurt by the ones we love. And who love us. Betrayal is inevitable. Sometimes, we are better off alone."

"No." Reid said, shaking his head.

"… No?"

"I spent my entire life alone." Reid confessed. "It's a long, depressing existence. Like a tunnel with no light at the end of it. My father left. My mother wasn't there for me… she was trapped in her own world… I had no other family. No friends. No one but me."

"We are the same, then."

"But then I found joy in life. Happiness. Purpose."

"… How?"

"… I joined the BAU." Reid said. "The people on my team are more than my colleagues. They are my friends. They are my family. They are my world."

Nagi said nothing.

"… You could have found something like that some day." Reid continued.

"I could have?"

"… Then you killed someone." Reid continued. "You'll go to jail."

"No I won't." Nagi replied. "Somehow, I doubt that 'he killed them with his mind' will hold up in court." Reid was silent. He didn't want to admit it, but the boy was right.

"You know we can't let you walk free."

"And do you know what will happen to me if the government gets their hands on me?"

"No." Reid admitted.

"It won't be good. I'll be a lab rat. Do you want that?"

"Of course not." Reid said. "But you're a murderer. We can't let you walk free."

"You've killed." Nagi pointed out.

"… That's different." Reid said, frowning.

"How?" Nagi asked. "Because you wear a badge? Because you killed in self defense?"

"Well…"

"I killed in self defense. And now I kill to defend others. Like you."

"The only times I've killed were because if I didn't someone else was going to die right then and there." Reid said. "The people you killed were not holding the life of someone else in their hands."

"They held the lives of their children!" Nagi said harshly.

"They were NOT holding guns to the heads of their children!" Reid cried.

"So because the lives of the children were not in direct immediate danger, I am not allowed to protect them? I just let the abuse continue? How many of those children wished to be dead? How many of those children might have faced death if they were left with their parents? How many would consider taking their own lives just to escape it? The law obviously is doing nothing to protect them. So I will."

"And I can't let you." Reid said, walking up to Nagi. The pair stared at each other.

"… You can't stop me." Nagi said calmly. His eyes widened and Reid gasped as he suddenly levitated up off of the ground. He couldn't move his body.

"What are you doing?"

"… Proving a point." Nagi said, staring up at Reid suspended ten feet up off of the ground.

"REID!" Nagi turned. Hotch and Morgan were running across the grass, guns in their hands. They were followed closely by the others. Nagi turned and stared at them. Reid hung in the air between the Agents and the UnSub, eyes wide in fright. Hotch, Morgan, Prentiss and Rossi just stared up at their young teammate, eyes wide and mouths hanging open, unable to believe what they were seeing.

"… Put him down!" Morgan finally ordered. Nagi stared calmly at the armed agents. Then he looked up at Reid. Reid yelped as his arms and legs were jerked out, leaving him hanging spread eagle in the air. A moment later, a red glow appeared in Nagi's eyes.

A sound sliced through the air and Reid cried out. The team stared as a slash appeared on the back of his shirt, and a moment later the material began to turn red with blood.

"PUT HIM DOWN, NOW!" Hotch shouted, leveling his gun on the boy's head. The boy stared back calmly. His eyes flashed and Reid gasped again as another slash appeared. "STOP IT!" Hotch roared, and took a step closer. The boy raised a hand and held it out as if he were holding something. Reid jerked and thrashed, letting out a strangled gasp. He could move again… he clawed at his throat… He was being strangled.

"STOP!" Hotch shouted.

"Kid, put him down!" Mulder ordered.

"Son, you don't wanna do this!" Rossi called.

"Leave. Me. Alone." The boy ordered softly.

"REID!" Morgan yelled. The boy's struggling was weakening. His mouth was wide open as he tried to gasp for air, and he stared helplessly into the night sky. Slowly, his hands fell to his sides. And Morgan pulled the trigger. A shot rang out.

"… Oh my God…" Scully breathed. The Agents all stared with wide eyes. The boy stood there, his own eyes wide and glowing red. His hand was no longer gripping the air but was held palm out, fingers splayed. Twelve inches before his hand the bullet sat frozen in the air. The boy lowered his hand, and the piece of metal fell to the grass. A moment later, the boy's eyes flashed again and the Agents were struck by an unseen force and hurtled several yards back. When they managed to get to their feet again, the boy was gone.

Hotch stumbled across the ground, running over to Reid. The young doctor was lying on his side in the grass. Hotch fell to his knees by his subordinate's side.

"Reid… Spencer…" He gasped, pulling the youth into his arms. Reid winced and groaned, coughing.

"… Hotch…" He groaned. The others surrounded them.

"Reid… are you okay?" Morgan gasped.

"I… Yeah… I… I'll be okay…" Reid gasped. Then he looked at Hotch. And he just stared.

"Reid… Whatever you heard me say… I didn't say it." The man said, softly. Reid narrowed his eyes slightly, searching his superior's face. "… I'm not taking you out of the field, Reid."

"If you didn't say it, how do you know what you said?" Reid demanded to know.

"Because I could hear you. You were yelling at me. I could hear your side of the conversation." Hotch said. Reid looked down. "Can you stand?" Hotch asked. Reid nodded and stood. "Turn around." Hotch said, turning Reid and lifting his shirt. "… They're not bad." He said, looking at the two long cuts that streaked across Reid's back. "They're shallow. They've already stopped bleeding. Let's get those cleaned out. Come on."

"Aaron." Reid said, suddenly.

"Yes?"

"… I'm sorry."

"… For what?"

"… For letting him get into my head like that… for being fooled by the illusion. For thinking that you actually would… well…"

"It's okay. Come on. Let's go back." Hotch said, and guided Reid back towards the motel.

"… His name is Nagi." Reid blurted suddenly, halfway back.

"What?" Mulder asked.

"Nagi." Reid said. "He told me his name. He feels that he is protecting the children. Because no one else is."

"And?"

"… He… He's all alone, Hotch." Reid sighed. "He's… so lost…"

* * *

please review! 


	4. Chapter 4

The X Files

Hatochiisai

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Criminal Minds, OR the X Files

Hotch/Reid

* * *

Chapter 4

* * *

The FBI Agents all looked up when Hotch joined them for breakfast.

"How is Agent Reid?" Scully asked.

"Tired." Hotch said. "I'm just gonna let him sleep himself out… Those cuts on his back will be fine in a day or two. And he has a bit of bruising around his throat, but..." He trailed off.

"It's interesting." Rossi said, suddenly. "This UnSub seems very focused on Reid."

"He seems to find it easy to penetrate his mind." Mulder said, sipping his orange juice. "Dr. Reid said that the UnSub remarked on how weak his mental defenses are."

"Hm…" Rossi mused, thinking about this. The group finished breakfast and headed into the local PD.

"Garcia." Morgan said to his phone as they walked in. "I need you to look up everything there is on a Nagi Naoe… No, baby girl. I have no idea how to spell it. Just wing it… Uh huh… We need to know where to find him. Now work me a little magic. Thanks." He hung up and joined the group. Mulder and Rossi were comparing notes.

At lunch time Reid joined them, looking rested and ready to get back to work. By then, Garcia was ready to report. The group sat around the phone.

"Nagi Naoe, fifteen years old. His mother and father are dead." The woman said. "He's adopted. His biological parents are unknown. He was left on the steps of a hospital. They thought it had only been an hour or so since he had been born. He was in and out of foster care for years. There are a LOT of accounts of his foster families returning him to child services because something was wrong with him. They never really explain what was meant by that. The other kids would pick on him. Child Service Agents were concerned with how he was always alone. He never had any friends.

"He was eight when he was finally adopted, but he was in and out of the emergency room. Then, nine months after he was adopted , his mother was admitted to the hospital for alcohol poisoning. She didn't make it. And less than a month later, neighbors reported a disturbance at their residence. When the cops arrived, they found a nine year old boy curled up in the corner with his father dead on the floor. Cause of death was ruled as blunt force trauma.

"What happened to Nagi?" Reid asked, frowning.

"Back into Foster Care." Garcia said. "But… It seems that when Nagi turned thirteen, a man showed up at the children's home he was in. He said that he understood Nagi and claimed that he could foster him when no one else kept him for more than a month. It took him a while, but he finally was able to foster him. And Nagi has been with him ever since."

"Foster parents couldn't keep him for a month… but this guy has kept him for years?" Hotch asked, frowning. "Garcia, what do we know about this man?"

"American by birth, but he's also a citizen of Japan. His name is Bradley Crawford. I'm guessing that the reason he's been able to keep Nagi is because he's never there. He travels back and forth between here and Japan. And he's usually over there."

"What is he doing?"

"… That's where it gets weird. I don't know for sure. But… it appears that he works for a politician over there." Garcia said.

"Where is he now?" Hotch asked.

"Japan. But there's a plane ticket in his name to return in two days."

"Alright. When he comes back, I want someone waiting for him. I want to talk to this man." Hotch said.

* * *

The team spent the day going over things. Nagi was not at school. Nor was he at the house that he was supposed to live in. They couldn't find the boy anywhere. No one at his school knew him. They knew OF him, but… no one knew anything about him other than what he looked like. Most didn't even know his name. Not even his teachers could offer anything about the teenage boy.

His neighbors were even less helpful. They didn't even know his name… no one in this town knew a damn thing about him. The only ones who did were his foster families. But they wouldn't talk. The only thing they got was what something was wrong with him. One woman said that the boy was a demon in disguise. Another said he was the Antichrist. But none of them could tell them much more than the fact that the boy was NOT normal and they never wanted to see him again.

After a long day of interviews, the team was more than happy to head back to their motel rooms. They all ended up in Mulder's room somehow, eating pizza and tossing around ideas. When they eventually were ready to call it a night, Reid stayed with Mulder. They were going to go over everything that Reid picked up on from Nagi when the teenager was in the young Agent's head.

Everyone bid them good night and good luck, and headed to bed.

* * *

Hotch wasn't sure what woke him. He blinked and slowly turned. He was alone. He checked the clock. It was almost 2 am. And Reid wasn't back. Hotch groaned and slowly rolled out of bed, prepared to go down to Mulder's room and fetch his subordinate. Reid's work ethic was something that Hotch admired, but for God's sake, the boy was only human! He needed to sleep!

Hotch stepped outside and walked down to Mulder's room. When he got there, he noticed that there was still a light on. And he heard voices. But they weren't talking…

"Nnnh… God…" Hotch's eyes widened and his heart stopped. He recognized Reid's voice… he had heard it sound like that so many times… There was a gap between the curtains… Hotch peered through. And he saw Reid on his back on the bed, naked, head thrown back in passion. His body moved, not only as he squirmed about, but with the forceful thrusts of the other Agent hanging over him.

"Oh God… Ah… Please… Fox, please!" Reid cried out, arching his back. Numb, Hotch turned and walked away. He stepped back into his own room and slowly walked over to the bed and sat down on the edge. After a bit, he lay down again. Not long after, the door opened and Reid slipped in. He stole across the room and into the bathroom. He showered and walked back into the bedroom, then slid into the bed. Hotch set his jaw when Reid curled into his body. But he gave no sign that he was awake…

* * *

"You're up early." Scully said, walking into the little breakfast nook of the motel lobby. Hotch looked up at her, silently, then shrugged. "… What's wrong?"

"I saw something last night." Hotch said. "And I don't know whether or not it was real. I… I hope that it was the UnSub messing with my mind."

"What did you see?" She asked.

"… Agent Mulder. Can I ask you something about him?"

"… I guess."

"… What is his sexual preference?"

"… What?!"

"Why do you want to know?" Mulder asked, sitting down. He looked mildly amused and curious. Hotch stared at him, slightly startled.

"What did you see last night?" Scully asked.

"… What time did Reid leave your room, Agent Mulder?" Hotch asked.

"… Um… about half an hour after you left. So… around midnight?"

"Wait… You saw Mulder and Agent Reid?" Scully asked, looking skeptical.

"Saw us what?" Reid asked, sitting down. Hotch stared at him. This conversation was getting better and better… All three Agents were staring at him now.

"Agent Scully. Agent Mulder." Hotch said with a sigh. "There's something you should know first. Agent Reid and I are… involved." The pair stared at him and Reid blinked.

"… Romantically?" Scully asked. Hotch nodded. "You saw Agent Mulder and Agent Reid…?"

"You WHAT?!" Reid yelped staring at Hotch, and Mulder raised an eyebrow. Then Reid and Mulder eyed each other.

"Um… I like Dr. Reid. But not like that…" The man chuckled. Hotch frowned.

"… Is that why you got up and walked out in the middle of the night?" Reid asked. Hotch looked at him. "You got up around 2 am and walked out. You came back a minute or two later and went back to sleep."

"… You were there the whole time?!" Hotch asked.

"… Yeah. I called after you. But you didn't answer. I was about to go after you when you came back." Reid said, laying his hand over Hotchner's hand.

"… We can't believe anything we see and hear, can we?" Hotch gasped.

"Yeah…" Reid sighed. "… Well… I guess it's good to know that you have more faith in me than to just believe something like that."

"But what would have happened had he NOT know that there was a powerful psychic that can make us see things?" Mulder asked.

"… Mulder!" Scully exclaimed in a scolding tone.

"Good question." Reid said, turning and looking at Hotch. "What WOULD you have believed, Aaron?"

"… You're just trying to make me squirm, aren't you?" Hotch asked, looking annoyed. Reid just grinned.

* * *

Morgan groaned as he woke. It was just after midnight. The team had spent an entire day interviewing more people and going over more documents. And watching Hotch watch Reid. The man seemed shaken after what he had seen the night before… They also noticed him watching Reid and Mulder with narrowed eyes whenever the pair had their heads together, comparing notes. Which they did quite a lot.

Morgan frowned and sat up… Was that shouting? Was that Hotch?! He frowned and looked at the wall separating his room from Hotch and Reid's.

There was a muffled crack, and then a muffled cry. Morgan frowned and stood, grabbing his gun and moving out of his room and over to Hotch and Reid's. He could hear them better now.

"Aaron! Please, stop!" He heard Reid sob. "You're hurting me!"

"Shut up!" Hotch snapped, and Reid cried out as he was struck again. "I thought you wanted this… You went to Agent Mulder for it, didn't you?!"

"N-No! Hotch, please! It wasn't real! I didn't!"

"You're lying! You had sex with him… I saw it! And you're using the UnSub's abilities to hide it!"

"Aaron, no! AH!"

"SHUT UP!!!" Hotch shouted, and Morgan shook his head at Reid's pained cries. He lifted his foot and lashed out, kicking the door in.

"HOTCH!" He shouted, and pointed his gun at the man. He stared in horror, unable to believe what he was seeing. Hotch was on his knees on the bed, straddling Reid. The boy was laid out on his side, curled up in a fetal position, his arms curled up to protect his face. Said face was streaked with tears, and blood trickled from his nose and a split lip. Hotch had Reid's hair fisted in one hand, and his other was raised to strike again.

"Let him go, Hotch!" Morgan commanded. Hotch lowered his hand and released Reid's hair, then lowered his hands to the front of his pants. Morgan suddenly felt sick. He couldn't see what Hotch was doing, but it was easy to guess. He was putting himself away… Morgan's eyes drifted down… There were spots of blood on the bed sheets beneath Reid's buttocks and thighs, and the boy was whimpering brokenly.

"Hotch… What did you do…?" Morgan breathed, looking pained. Slowly Hotch stood, his feet still on either side of Reid. He stared at Morgan, eyes dark.

"Morgan, go back to bed." The man said. "We're just talking."

"Like hell you are! What did you do to him?!" Morgan shouted.

~ * ~

Reid cried out in pleasure as he reached his release. He mewled and whimpered as Hotch continued to thrust into his body, the elder man seeking his own release now. He gasped as he felt the hard length within him pulse, and then a rush of heat filled him. He purred and nuzzled into the arms of his lover.

"So…" Reid murmured after a while. "You saw me sleeping with Agent Mulder?"

"… Yes." Hotch grumbled. Reid smirked. He couldn't help it. He had to tease him.

"Was I enjoying it?" He asked. Hotch sat up and stared down at Reid, a disgusted look of annoyance on his face. Reid grinned. "Well?" He prompted.

"… You shut your mouth." Hotch snorted, laying a hand on Reid's cheek and pushing it to the side in a gentle mockery of a slap across the face.

"No." Reid said, the picture of mischief. "I won't shut it… But you can fill it…" Reid purred, running a tongue over his lips and reaching a hand out, teasing his lover's spent member with his fingers. Hotch smirked.

"I might just have to do that." He said, reaching out and fisting his hand in Reid's hair, holding his head steady. But then the door suddenly slammed open. Hotch and Reid turned and stared when Morgan entered, his gun pointed at Hotch.

"HOTCH!" Morgan shouted. Reid's eyes widened.

"Morgan?!" Hotch half yelped. "What the hell are you doing?!"

"Aaron… His eyes." Reid breathed. Morgan's eyes were dark and unfocused.

"Let him go, Hotch!" Morgan demanded, loudly.

"Morgan… snap out of it." Hotch said, tucking his manhood away into the pants that he had never managed to actually get rid of, only having pulled them down enough to free his erection and slake his lust within his lover's body. Morgan's eyes moved over Reid.

"Hotch… What did you do?" The agent breathed, looking ill. Reid and Hotch could only imagine what he was seeing.

"Morgan…" Reid whimpered. "He didn't do anything. Put the gun down… please."

"Like hell you are!" Morgan shouted. "What did you do to him?!" Hotch slowly stepped back off and away from the bed, putting his hands up.

"Reid…" The Unit Chief murmured. "Get Rossi. Now."

"Hotch! Drop the gun and let him go!" Morgan ordered. Reid's eyes widened. He scrambled into his pants and grabbed his revolver, running for the door.

"What the hell is going on?" Prentiss called from two doors down.

"Morgan! The UnSub! Morgan is gonna shoot Hotch!" Reid cried. Prentiss and Scully came running. Prentiss stepped into the hotel room as Reid banged on Rossi's door and Scully went for Mulder.

"Morgan, put the gun down!" Reid heard Prentiss say from inside the room. A moment later, Rossi ran to help her. Mulder and Scully stood off to the side, watching through the door. But Reid was staring across the street, eyes searching.

"He hit him, Prentiss! He HURT him! HE needs to drop the gun, not me!"

"What? Morgan! Hotch doesn't have a gun! He's not a threat to Reid, Reid is outside! He's outside and he's scared! He's afraid you're going to hurt Hotch!"

Morgan didn't answer. Reid's eyes finally found it… two small reddish glows. And the dark shape. It was Nagi Naoe. Slowly, Reid raised the gun. There were shouts behind him. Morgan was shouting at Hotch. Prentiss and Rossi were shouting at Morgan. Then Prentiss' voice rose above the others.

"MORGAN, DON'T!!!" Then, a shot went off.

Reid's eyes widened. "NO!!!" He screamed, and pulled the trigger. Mulder and Scully stared at him as he pulled it again, and again, and again. He pulled it over and over, even after all he got were empty clicks. He stared Nagi in the eyes. The boy had both hands up, and all the bullets were suspended in the air before him. Nagi looked slightly shaken. That first bullet was too close…

A moment later, the bullets all fell to the ground, and Nagi faded into the shadows. Reid didn't move. He just stood there, holding his revolver out before him, shaking. Mulder glanced at Scully then walked over to Reid, placing a hand on the boy's wrists and slowly forcing him to lower the gun. Scully put a hand on Reid's shoulder.

"Hey… it's okay." She said. They could hear voices inside the hotel room. Other guests were running out of their rooms, eyes wide. Sirens were heard as the police responded to 911 calls about shots fired. Mulder took the gun from Reid and he and Scully guided him into the motel room.

Morgan was standing there looking horrified while Rossi tried to calm him down. The man's gun was on the floor. There was a bullet hole in the far wall where Hotch had been standing. But the man was sitting on the floor, unharmed, filling Prentiss in on what had happened before she came in. But everyone stopped when the X Files Agents brought Reid in. The boy was pale and shaking.

"Reid…" Morgan breathed. "Man… I… I am so sorry… Are you okay?" Reid just stared at the man, then turned.

"Spencer." Hotch gasped, standing. Reid let out a tiny whimper, then ran to him. Hotch opened his arm and caught the youth, holding his shaking frame close, feeling the long arms wrap around his neck. "I'm okay." Hotch said, gently. "It's okay. Calm down. We're all fine." He kissed the top of Reid's head, then looked up. "Morgan. Are you okay?"

"… Hotch… I… I am so sorry."

"I know. It's okay. It's not your fault." Hotch said, running his hand up and down Reid's back.

"You sure you're okay?" Morgan asked.

"I'm fine." Hotch said, looking back down at Reid. "What were you shooting at out there, Spencer?"

"… Nagi." Reid breathed, finally releasing his hold on Hotch. Reid turned and looked at Morgan. "Nagi was out there. I fired at him."

"… That's when I came back to myself." Morgan said. "Hearing your shots."

"It's because he had to stop the bullets." Mulder said. "It made him lose hold on Morgan's mind. I don't think he can manipulate minds and use his telekinetic abilities at the same time."

"Thank God for small favors." Prentiss said.

"Reid." Morgan said. "… Are you okay?"

"Yeah. Just a bit shaken." Reid admitted. "You?"

"… I'll be okay." Morgan said. Then the police arrived. The Agents had a hell of a time explaining the commotion. But eventually they all headed back to their own rooms.

"Morgan." The man stopped and turned, looking at Reid when the boy approached him. "… Don't guilt yourself over this." Reid told him. Morgan blinked. "This is… something beyond us. Don't feel bad. He got me. He got Hotch, too."

"… But I almost killed Hotch." Morgan argued.

"But you didn't." Reid said. Morgan just sighed. Reid echoed the sigh, then embraced the man. Morgan blinked, slightly startled, but he smiled and returned the gesture. The thing that had been bothering him the most about the incident was that Reid didn't trust him anymore… the boy had been so scared. But Morgan could hear Reid's message in the simple gesture. 'I don't blame you. You still have my trust.'

"See you tomorrow." Reid said, smiling.

"Night, kid. Try to get some sleep."

"I intend to."

"Yeah. But Hotch might have other ideas." Morgan said with a grin. Reid's eyes widened briefly.

"That's for me to know and for Reid to find out." Hotch said, poking his head out the door of his and Reid's room. "Let's go, Spencer."

"Oh ho…" Morgan laughed, grinning at the deer in the headlights look on Reid's face. "Night, Pretty Boy!" And he closed the door. Reid groaned and trotted over to Hotch. The man just chuckled, stepping aside as Reid walked in and closing the door behind him.

"Shall I assume the position?" Reid asked, dryly.

"What?" Hotch yelped, then chuckled again. He hugged Reid and kissed his forehead. Their pair slid into the bed and Hotch pulled Reid close, laying the boy's head on his chest. "This position will work." He sighed.

"Oh?" Reid yawned.

"Get some rest, Spencer. And sleep yourself out."

"… I love you, Aaron."

"I know." Hotch sighed, and the pair drifted to sleep.

* * *

So, there was a tie in "Guess the UnSub". Bowie28 and Emri-May! I am already in contact with them and ya'll should be getting some nice lemony one-shots in the near future!!! Congrats!


	5. Chapter 5

The X Files

Hatochiisai

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Criminal Minds, OR the X Files

Hotch/Reid

* * *

Chapter 5

* * *

The team didn't wake until nearly 10 am the next morning. By then the motel no longer had their continental breakfast, so the BAU and the X Files Agents ended up in IHOP.

"We need to find where Nagi is hiding…" Scully said.

"We'll split up in twos." Rossi said. "Prentiss and Scully, me and Morgan…"

"I'll take Dr. Reid with me." Mulder said suddenly. He and Reid had spent the entire meal with their heads together again. "We have a couple of ideas. And Bradley Crawford should be back today. I want to talk to him." Hotch stared at them. Reid looked at his lover. He could see the territorial look in Hotchner's eyes, and the suspicion… He was still on edge after the illusion Nagi had made him see of Reid and Mulder.

"… Alright." Hotch said with a nod. He looked at Reid, and the boy smiled at him. He knew that this was Hotch's way of saying 'I trust you.'

And the group all went their separate ways. Rossi ended up on his own, while Hotch and Morgan went together; Hotch wanted to make sure that Morgan was okay.

* * *

Reid and Mulder stared up at the house. It was a dark red and brown old Victorian style. The windows were all dark. The pair walked up the front stairs and stepped onto the porch. Mulder knocked. They waited a moment, and then the lock clicked and the door opened. A tall man stood there wearing a cream colored suit with a pale green tie and glasses. He had a pale complexion, gray eyes and neat dark hair.

"… Can I help you?" He asked.

"Mr. Crawford?" Mulder asked.

"Yes." The man confirmed. Mulder held up his badge.

"I'm Agent Mulder with the FBI, this is Special Agent Dr. Reid. May we come in?" Reid frowned. Crawford didn't look alarmed, or surprised. In fact, the moment he saw the badge, he smirked, looking amused.

"Please." He said, stepping aside. Reid and Mulder walked in. A man stood across the hall. He was slightly shorter than Crawford and had long, violently red hair.

"What's going on?" The man asked with a thick, odd accent.

"Some people from the FBI." Crawford said, walking into the sitting room.

"And you are?" Reid asked, staring at the red haired man.

"This is a business partner of mine." Crawford said. "Mr. Schuldig." The man nodded. Reid turned and walked into the sitting room and sat down on the couch beside Mulder. "Can I get you anything?" Crawford asked, sitting on the sofa across from them.

"No, we're fine." Mulder said.

"What can I do for you gentlemen?" Crawford asked, glancing at Schuldig as the man moved across the room and stood behind him. Schuldig looked very amused.

"We're here about your foster. Nagi Naoe." Reid said.

"… Do you know where he is?" Crawford asked, frowning. "He wasn't here when I got home."

"We were hoping you could help us find him." Mulder said.

"We need you to tell us about him." Reid said. "Have you ever noticed anything… odd about him? Odd things happening around him?"

"Of course." Crawford said, leaning back. "Nagi is a powerful psychic." Reid and Mulder blinked, surprised. "He's a powerful telekinetic and telepath. But he had trouble controlling it. That's why I took him in. To help him."

"… You knew?" Mulder asked.

"Yes."

"How could you help him?" Reid asked.

"… He's not the only person in this world with abilities like that."

"Are you saying that you are a telepath?" Mulder asked.

"No. He's the telepath." Crawford said, jabbing a thumb over his shoulder at Schuldig, who smirked at the agents. "I'm a precognitive."

"Precognitive." Mulder echoed.

"You can see the future?" Reid asked.

"I get flashes of what may be." Crawford confessed.

"So you took Nagi in to help him learn to control his abilities?" Mulder asked.

"Yes. He's very powerful. Without help to learn control, he can be a danger to himself and everyone around him."

"He already is." Reid said. "He's murdered eight… nine people with his abilities."

"… He also scared the crap out of you with psychic illusions." Schuldig suddenly announced. Reid blinked and looked at him in surprise. The man just smirked and tapped his temple. "Telepath, remember? I can read your mind. And… I can see why Nagi is so afraid of your mind… and yet he can't resist it… he's drawn to you like a moth to the flame."

"He will touch your mind again." Crawford said, suddenly. "Be careful. Or someone will die." Mulder frowned.

"He can't resist touching your mind. Invading it." Schuldig purred. Mulder did not like the way the man spoke… it didn't take a profiler to see that this man was twisted… sadistic. "Right now, you're thinking about what my mind can do." Reid's eyes widened. Schuldig turned to face him fully.

"You're wondering what I can see… How deep into your mind I can dig. You're wondering if you can do anything to stop me. And you can't. There's nothing you can do. Only a powerful psychic can keep out another. Normal men have basic mental defenses. But you don't even have that. Anyone with any telepathic ability will be able to get into your mind. A telepath like me or Nagi… we can easily rip your mind apart." He smirked. "I could send you spiraling into the schizophrenia you so fear with minimal effort." Reid stood sharply, his eyes wide, his face pale.

"Enough, Schuldig." Crawford ordered, his tone dark and dangerous. "This is unnecessary. They are merely doing their jobs. There is no reason for you to try and intimidate them. They are not our enemies."

"Mr. Crawford." Mulder snapped, standing as well. "Where is Nagi Naoe?"

"I don't know." Crawford said. "And not even Schuldig would be able to get enough from his mind to find out where he is. Don't worry. He'll find you." And he stood. "If you have any other questions, I'm sure you have my number."

"… I want to see his room." Reid said, suddenly. Crawford blinked.

"Up the stairs. Second door on the left." He said. Reid nodded, turning and walking up the stairs. Mulder frowned and followed.

"That's boy's mind is dangerous." Schuldig said softly. "He has no defenses because he may not need them."

"What do you mean?" Crawford asked.

"If you press too far or in the wrong place… you may not be able to get back out. It's an amazing mind… it shines brightly… like I said before… a flame luring in a moth… and it smells and tastes sweet… honey for the bees… It's like a Venus Fly Trap. A sweet nectar lures in a foolish fly… if it prods the wrong spot, it will snap shut and devour them." Crawford frowned.

"You're saying that if Nagi goes too far, that boy's mind could trap Nagi's mind… possibly even devour and destroy it?"

"… Yes."

"… We need to tell him. Make sure that Nagi doesn't touch that boy's mind again."

"… He will. He can't help it." Schuldig said. Crawford turned and looked at the doorway to the next room. It was dark. But the figure of a man stood there. A single piercing eye stared back at him from a white face.

"… You and Schuldig find Nagi." Crawford said. "Tell him not to touch the Agent's mind again. And tell him to prepare to depart. It's time to take him to Japan anyway." The silent man in the dark nodded, and followed Schuldig out the back door.

Upstairs, Reid stared around the room. It was just that. A room. No décor on the walls. No posters. The clothing in the closet was all non descript. There was a small stereo but there were only a few CD's of classical music. The one bookshelf was full of more classic literature. Nagi didn't even have a computer. In fact, the place just looked like an impersonal guest room. A place for a visitor to sleep for the night and nothing else. Reid was discouraged.

This room. The monotone voice. Face void of all emotion. The empty eyes…

Did Nagi even have an identity?

Who was he?

"We won't learn anything here." Reid said. "Let's regroup with the others." And he and Mulder went back downstairs.

Crawford met them and walked the Agents to the front door.

"If he comes back—" Agent Mulder began.

"He won't." Crawford sighed. "If the police are hunting him, he will not come back here. He will distance himself from everyone and everything connected to him. He's smart. You will have a tough time finding him. You'll have to wait for him to come to you."

"If he contacts you." Reid said, and held out his card. Crawford looked at it a moment, then took it with a nod.

* * *

"How did it go?" Hotch asked when Mulder and Reid walked in.

"He's hiding something." Reid said, frowning. "I think he's in contact with Nagi. He's protecting him."

"We'll put him under surveillance." Hotch said.

"Won't work." Reid snorted. "Crawford and his… business partner… They're psychics as well." Hotch blinked. "That's why he fostered Nagi. They'll know that you're watching them."

"Are you sure?" Morgan asked.

"Well… one of them, no. He said he was a precognitive. The other was a telepath. I have no proof that Crawford is really a precognitive other than the fact that he didn't seem surprised that the FBI was knocking on his door, but the other guy…" Reid sighed. "He read my mind, Hotch! He told me what I was thinking at that very moment! And he knew things about me that few people know, if any. But… they said they don't know where Nagi is and… I think they were telling the truth."

Morgan sighed. "So now what?"

"… Organize a search?" Mulder offered. "All abandoned buildings?"

"Agent Hotchner!" A police officer called, running into the room. "Sir, we just got a call from the hospital. Agent Rossi was just admitted!!!"

* * *

Morgan, Reid and Hotchner swept through the doors of the hospital and into the ER side by side. They all approached the desk and flashed their credentials.

"We're looking for Agent David Rossi." Hotch said. The woman sent him to exam room three. The trio made their way there and knocked before stepping in.

"… Dave! What the hell happened?!" Hotch gasped, staring at the elder. Rossi looked at him, his face bruised and bloodied.

"Our psychic friend." Rossi said. "He tried to get me with an illusion. And I called him on it."

"What do you mean?" Reid asked.

"I saw Morgan pointing his gun at me. Accusing me of killing Emily." Rossi said.

"And?"

"Well. I knew Emily was with Agent Scully. And Morgan was with Hotch. But neither Scully nor Hotch were anywhere to be seen. So I ignored Morgan and looked around and spotted the kid. I pointed my gun at him and told him to put his hands up and stop the illusions. His eyes turned red and I was flying through the air. Not sure what happened after that."

"Looks like you got in a fight with a buffalo and lost." Reid snorted.

"Thanks kid." Rossi grunted, giving Reid a look. "Doctors say I'll be okay. Just bad bruising mostly. I can leave tonight."

"Good." Hotch said with a nod.

"This is hard…" Reid sighed. "Listening and watching everyone around us… wondering if what we're seeing and hearing is the truth. It's like… I'm doubting reality…"

"I know what you mean, man…" Morgan empathized, shaking his head.

That night, the team plus two all headed back to their rooms. Reid and Hotch showered and were soon curled up in bed together. They lay on their sides, Reid's back pressed into Hotch's chest, the man curling an arm around Reid's waist and holding him close. Reid was watching 'Highlander: The Series' on ScyFy when he suddenly felt a pressure on his body, surrounding him from all sides. He couldn't move. He tried to call out, wake Hotch, but he couldn't.

_Enjoying your show?_ Nagi's voice hissed into his mind.

_What do you want?_ Reid asked.

_I'm here to prove a point. Another warning. Showing you what I can do to you and your team if you do not leave me to my work._

_We're not backing off._ Reid said, firmly.

_Even if one of you dies?_ Nagi asked. And then, suddenly, Reid felt a horrible constriction around his chest. He couldn't breathe. His eyes widened. He couldn't breathe! He couldn't move… not to thrash or struggle. He couldn't warn Hotch… the man would never know! He would just wake in the morning and find himself holding his lover's lifeless body… When the coroner pronounced his cause of death to be asphyxiation, what would Hotch do? Knowing that he had held his beloved as he had suffocated, and never awoke…

He closed his eyes as his vision began to go foggy.

_You're dying…_ Nagi breathed into his mind. _And all you can think about is that man? Why?_

… _I love him._

_So?_

_I don't want to hurt him._

… _What do you mean?_

_I don't ever want him to suffer the pain of losing me._

_How do you know what he will feel?_ Nagi asked.

_Because I imagine how I would feel if I lost him._ Reid told the telepath, and Nagi gasped and stumbled when he was overcome by a sickening pain in his very soul… Complete and utter loss and despair. And he realized that what he was feeling was a mere shadow of how Reid felt as he thought of what losing Hotch would feel like. And in that moment, Nagi cut off all contact with the young Agent and fled, shocked and frightened.

Hotch jerked awake when Reid thrashed in his arms and gasped loudly.

"What the…?" He slurred, blinking himself into awareness. "Spencer?! Are you okay?!" He quickly focused on the young man, who was gasping for breath. The boy clung tightly to him as he filled his starving lungs over and over.

"N-Nagi…" Reid finally managed to gasp. "I… couldn't breathe… couldn't move…" Hotch held Reid close, running a hand up and down his back, trying to calm his shaking.

"Shhh… it's okay…"

"No…" Reid sobbed. "It's not! He's gonna kill someone! One of us! He… Hotch…"

"Shhhh…" Hotch said again, then stood and walked over to the window. He peered out, then closed the curtains which had been slightly open... Hotch felt his blood boil. To make Reid stop breathing the Nagi would have used telekinesis, not telepathy. Which meant he would have to SEE Reid. He had been standing right there, staring at them through the window... Hotch growled and shut the curtains, making sure there was no gap in them this time.

In the morning, they told the others what had happened.

"It's interesting." Mulder said, watching Hotch standing in the corner, talking on his phone. "He's not killing anymore. He's focused on scaring us away…"

"He's disorganized. Our presence has thrown him off. He didn't think that someone would come to hunt down a… a psychic murderer." Prentiss said, waving her spoon. Reid leaned back as the plastic utensil sailed by his face.

"He will kill again, though." He said. "As soon as he finds another abusive guardian."

"He already has." Hotch said, walking over. "We have another body."

* * *

I guess I don't have to ask you people to identify Crawford, Shculdig and the silent one eyed man, hmm? *giggle* (And no, WeiB will NOT be making an appearence in this fic, I consider this happening BEFORE the two groups ever cross each other's paths...)


	6. Chapter 6

The X Files

Hatochiisai

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Criminal Minds, OR the X Files

Hotch/Reid

* * *

Chapter 6

* * *

The team walked into the public library which was over run with police. They grouped around the body and stared down at it.

Reid knelt and picked up a library card that was lying on the floor, flicking open his phone.

"… Garcia, I need you to look up hospital records on any children of Jeremiah Mason." He said, turning and walking away from the group while Hotch, Prentiss and Scully all knelt to inspect the body. Morgan, Rossi and Mulder began interviewing hysterical witnesses.

"Okay, thanks Garcia." Reid said, walking back over. Suddenly, his phone flew out of his hand and clattered across the floor. Reid blinked. Prentiss looked at him.

"Reid?" She called.

"Uhhn!" Reid grunted suddenly, doubling over and stumbling back.

"Reid?!" She stood and the other Agents all turned and looked at him.

"Ahn!" Reid yelped, and his head snapped to the side as if he'd been punched across the jaw. Then his head snapped back and he fell to the floor. A whoosh of air escaped him as his body jerked upwards as if someone had kicked him in the stomach. He jerked upwards again and again and again. Then his head snapped back again and his entire body was sent sprawling on his back.

"REID!" Hotch shouted and ran to him. But as soon as he got within five feet, he felt a harsh impact to his chest and he fell backwards. "REID!"

The beating continued. Reid was pinned down to the floor on his chest, and his arm was jerked up behind him into the air and twisted. Hotch grunted, doubling over and groaning.

"Ah! AHHN! LET GO!!!" Reid cried, grimacing in pain. "OW!!! You… NO!" He lifted his head and looked up. Through the shelves, in the large window that covered the back wall of the library, he saw Nagi.

_Promise you will leave me be._

"I won't!" Reid shouted. "You're a murderer! And we will not rest until we stop you!" A moment later, his arm was dropped and he gasped in relief. But suddenly, something grabbed him and hurled him across the library.

Prentiss screamed as Reid's body slammed into a bookshelf. Books rained down around him. Then his body was flung across the room again and slammed into the wall.

"GET HIM OFF ME!" Reid cried, writhing against the wall. Morgan ran over and grabbed Reid… but he couldn't get him off of the wall. A moment later, Morgan yelped as he was shoved to the floor, and the team stared in horror as Reid's body slid up the tall wall that stretched the entire two stories of the library. Reid's eyes were wide and frightened. It seemed as if he was suddenly let go. His body fell forwards a few inches, but then was slammed against the wall again. Reid yelped as his skull cracked against the wall and he was pinned there.

"FIND NAGI!!" Mulder shouted, pulling his gun and looking around. "He has to be able to see what he's using his telekinesis on!" Scully and Rossi pulled their guns as well and the three split up. But Morgan, Prentiss and Hotch didn't budge. They just stared up at Reid as the young man's body suddenly dropped. Reid cried out and Hotch ran to get beneath him, but the man was thrown away. And Reid's body suddenly stopped and hovered three feet above the floor. Reid groaned, his body throbbing in pain.

"Reid!" Prentiss called, and despite seeing that Hotch had been unable to get close, she ran towards her colleague. Reid gasped as his body suddenly was hurled into Prentiss. The pair tumbled across the floor and landed in a tangled heap. Slowly, they stumbled to their feet.

"Reid… are you okay?" the woman gasped, taking his hands. But Reid didn't get a chance to answer. They both suddenly found themselves up in the air, something trying to drag them apart. But they clung on to each other. Hotch and Morgan were flung into the wall and pinned there, their feet dangling a foot off of the floor.

"Ahhn!!! Morgan!!" Reid cried as muscles strained and joints creaked.

"I can't move!" Morgan howled, struggling, then yelped as it felt like a fist buried itself into his gut.

"REID!" Hotch shouted, struggling furiously, growling at the unseen impact across his jaw. "Prentiss!"

"Emily…" Reid groaned, staring at her. Suddenly, their bodies were flying through the air, straight at the end of a bookshelf. "LET GO!" Reid cried.

"No!"

"We'll break our arms!" Reid cried. And a moment before they hit the bookcase, they let go of each other. Emily was hurled across the room and sailed over the librarian's desk, slamming into the wall and falling to the floor with a sharp cry of pain. Reid was thrown back and slammed into a book case. He was thrown forward into the next case in the row. And Hotch and Morgan couldn't do anything as they watched their colleague being slammed back and forth between them like a rag doll, unable to stop what was happening to him.

Prentiss groaned, stumbling across the room and running towards Reid, trying to reach him, but she was thrown back again. She hit the wall to the left of Morgan and fell to the floor. This time, she lay still…

"Emily!" Morgan called, then choked as he felt invisible hands close around his throat. Hotch's eyes widened as he felt the same thing… Their chests grew tight… they couldn't breathe…

Reid uttered a broken cry as he suddenly hit the floor, rolling over several times before coming to a rest right before Hotch and Morgan… Then, gun shots rang out. Hotch and Morgan lurched forwards, crashing to the floor by Reid's side.

"SCULLY, LOOK OUT!!!" Mulder shouted, and Rossi ducked as the woman sailed over his head. He watched Agent Mulder go flying over the bushes and land in the fountain with a splash. Then something hit him like a runaway truck and he found himself flying through the air. He hit the ground and rolled. Horns blared. Tires screamed. And Rossi just ducked and covered, waiting for the fatal impact to occur…

* * *

The public library was complete mayhem. Ambulances and police everywhere.

"… Way to create chaos, Nagi." Came a chuckle. Nagi said nothing. The red haired man turned and grinned.

"This was unnecessary." Crawford growled, frowning. "Don't encourage him, Schuldig."

"He's trying to scare away the FBI, what's wrong with that?" Schuldig asked, amused.

"We can't risk Nagi getting caught. We need to lay low until we can get out of the country." Crawford said, watching Hotch and Morgan cross the parking lot together. Scully and Mulder were at one of the ambulances, getting checked out. Mulder was dripping wet and did NOT look happy. Prentiss was at another ambulance and an EMT was shining a light into her eyes. Rossi walked over to meet Hotch and Morgan. A moment later, Reid limped over to them, a band-aid on his forehead. Hotch reached out, laying a hand on the boy's cheek. Reid nodded at him and the pair turned back to Rossi and Morgan. The other three Agents joined them a moment later.

"We should go." Crawford said.

"… I want to kill her." Said the fourth man. Crawford, Nagi and Schuldig looked at the one eyed man. He was extremely pale and his arms were swathed in bandages. He was flicking a blade in his hand.

"Who?" Schuldig asked.

"… Her. The red head."

"Agent Scully." Nagi calmly supplied.

"No." Crawford said, firmly.

"… It would hurt God…"

"So does masturbation." Schuldig snorted. "Do that."

"… Oh, please... ew." Nagi winced.

"Enough. Let's go." Crawford ordered, rolling his eyes. The four turned and walked away.

* * *

"He's spiraling." Rossi announced. The others all stared at him from over their dinners.

"I don't think so." Reid said, frowning. Rossi looked at him and sipped his beer, waiting for Reid to continue. "We're threatening him. He feels he has a mission. And we are standing in his way. He's torn. He wants to continue his work, but we are threatening his ability to continue."

"So why hasn't he just killed us?" Scully asked.

"Because he believes that we're good people. He wants us out of his way but he doesn't really want to hurt us." Reid said. "So he's trying to scare us away."

"How do you know that?" Mulder asked, frowning.

"He's a profiler." Scully snorted.

"Uh… actually, it's the feeling I keep getting from him whenever his mind links with mine." Reid said, smiling slightly and gulping down his soda. "God… I wish he would stop. I feel so… drained afterwards…" Hotch frowned and looked at Reid.

"You do look pale…" The man said.

"I'm tired." Reid admitted.

"We all are." Prentiss groaned.

"Man… I just wanna get this little son of a bitch…" Morgan groaned, running a hand over his head.

"I don't know if we can." Reid sighed. "And even if we did catch him… no prison could hold him." The team lowered their eyes.

Two hours later found the entire group in Mulder's room. They were staring at the case files scattered around the room… for the most part.

"… What's the point?" Reid asked suddenly, not even looking away from the television screen on which he was watching 'The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers'. Eyes turned up to look at him. "We know who, how and why. But none of this stuff will tell us the one thing we need. WHERE."

"I still think that Bradley Crawford isn't telling us everything." Mulder said.

"He's not." Reid snorted. "And he won't."

"We're going to have to wait." Hotch sighed. "We won't catch the Naoe boy until he comes to us."

* * *

It had been three days since in the incident at the library. The group stuck to the rule that no one is ever alone. Aside from Mulder, who refused to share a motel room. He didn't much care for his three choices; the women, the lovers, or the Snoring Chorus aka Rossi and Morgan. So he elected to take the risk of staying alone. But for three days, all was quiet. Nothing happened. They had seen no sign of Nagi Naoe. No more victims. No more psychic attacks against the team. Nothing. They had surveillance on Bradley Crawford's house, but the man had also vanished.

And so the team was sitting around the table in the conference room of the local precinct when the door opened.

"Well. Don't you look like you're having fun." A voice giggled. Everyone turned. Mulder and Scully just blinked, but the others grinned.

"JJ!" Emily exclaimed. "Hey!"

"Hi, JJ."

"Hey Spence. What the hell happened to you?"

"You wouldn't believe it, even if I told you." Reid snorted, jerking away when JJ prodded his bruised cheek.

"Oh, Spence…" JJ crooned, stroking Reid's hair. Reid rolled his eyes but smiled, and Hotch just chuckled at JJ's maternal instincts kicking in and Reid's loving tolerance at constantly being the focus of it.

"Hi. I'm Jennifer Jareau." And she held out her hand.

"Dana Scully. And this is my partner, Fox Mulder." Scully said, taking JJ's hand and shaking it. Mulder stood politely and also shook her hand. "I guess you'll be bunking with me and Agent Prentiss?" Scully asked.

"Absolutely." Hotch said firmly. "No one is EVER alone."

"… Why? What's going on? Tell me about the case." JJ said.

"Okay. But you're not gonna believe it." Morgan sighed. And the team told her everything. They showed her the videos of the murders that were available. They told her about every psychic attack and telekinetic assault. And she was stunned into silence.

"… You guys are serious." She said, staring around.

"As serious as the cuts on Reid's back and the bruises on all of our bodies." Hotch snorted, running a hand up and down Reid's back. Reid sighed and shook his head.

"This kid is NOT done." He said, firmly. "Nagi will strike again."

"But how can we catch him?!" JJ asked. "And how can we prove that he is the killer?"

"We can't." Hotch sighed. "But we have to do something. We catch him and Agents Mulder and Scully will have to take him from there."

No one noticed Reid's eyes swimming out of focus, or his head slowly falling forwards. But they turned when he gasped and jerked. He lifted his head and they stared at him. Dark blue eyes stared back.

"… Spence?!" JJ gasped.

"… Nagi Naoe." Mulder growled. Reid turned and looked at JJ.

"I told you to leave me alone." Came the soft, monotone voice from Reid's lips. "And you bring in another Agent? Isn't that the opposite of what you were supposed to do?"

Reid's fingers twitched on the table top. The blue eyes blinked and stared down at the long fingers. He frowned and curled his fingers into a fist, then looked at the group again.

"Leave. Or I will tear you apart one by one. Rip you limb from limb!" But then Reid's face was twisted in a horrible grimace. His head twitched to the side and his fingers flexed, then clawed at the table. A strangled groan escaped his throat.

"… Reid?" Hotch gasped, and he and Mulder slowly approached the boy. Reid gasped, throwing his head back and arching his back, crying out as if in pain. Then, he began to groan and thrash. He opened his eyes briefly… they were glowing red. They fell closed once more, and then with an almighty jerk, he fell off of the chair and crashed onto the floor. The team was quickly surrounding him. Reid gasped and jerked again, and his eyes snapped open.

"Oh my God…" Scully breathed. Reid's left eye was still the dark midnight blue. But his right eye was the golden brown that the agents knew so well. His body writhed… his eyes fluttered and rolled in his skull. He whimpered and groaned.

"What's happening to him?!" Hotch gasped.

"… He's refusing to let Nagi take control of his body." Mulder said, looking strangely delighted. "He's fighting back!" Suddenly, Reid's left hand shot out and JJ gasped as his long fingers closed around her throat in an iron grip. Reid's eyes darted around at the Agents.

"Leave! Or I'll snap her neck!" Came the papery hiss.

"No!" Reid's own voice rose from his body. "You won't! I won't let you!"

"How will you stop me?" Came the hiss again. And suddenly, Reid's right hand fumbled.

"NO!" Emily gasped when Reid suddenly seized his revolver and lifted it to his head, pressing the barrel against his temple.

"I will pull the trigger." Reid snapped.

"… You would take your own life?" Nagi's voice asked.

"To protect my team, yes. And if you will use me to hurt them because it's easy to get into my mind, then I will destroy that mind so that you CANNOT take it over!"

"Spence, no!" JJ cried, but then gasped as the hand at her throat tightened. Hotch grabbed Reid's wrist and began trying to pry the gun out of the Reid's fingers.

"Reid, don't!"

"You seek to kill yourself to deny me access to you." Nagi hissed. "But it seems that your lover will not allow it to happen." Reid cried out as Hotch pried the gun from his fingers. Reid groaned and rolled onto his side, releasing JJ and gripping his head in his hands. Then, he uttered an angry cry and staggered to his feet, running from the room.

"Reid!" Morgan called, and the agents followed him. Reid burst out the front doors of he station and stumbled out into the middle of the street. He looked around, then snarled and charged off towards the bushes across the street. The team came out just in time to see Reid launch himself over the bushes and tackle Nagi Naoe. The boy yelped and the pair crashed to the ground and rolled, wrestling with each other.

"Get off!" Nagi cried. "GET OFF!!! I WILL RIP YOUR MIND APART!!!"

"TRY IT!!!" Reid shouted back. And then, there was an explosion of psychic energy. It whirled around the pair, throwing the agents back. Within the whirling vortex, both Reid and Nagi were staring up at the sky, clutching their head in their hands, screaming…

"REID!" Hotch shouted, staring in worried fear, as were the other agents with him.

Reid and Nagi were both hanging about eight feet in the air, and the vortex prevented anyone from getting close.

"What do we do!?" JJ cried.

"Shoot the son of a bitch!" Morgan snapped, pulling his gun and raising it, taking aim at Nagi.

"NO!" Mulder shouted, grabbing Morgan's wrist and lowering his head. "If you shoot him and his mind is linked with Dr. Reid's, you could kill them both!"

"How do you know?!"

"I don't. But it's not worth risking it." Mulder hissed.

"We have to do something!" Emily insisted, raising a hand against the wind; it was getting stronger. The agents had to brace themselves to keep from being blown over. But suddenly the whirlwind exploded outwards. The agents were flattened to the ground and deafened by the roar. And then, all was quiet. Slowly, they raised their heads and looked up. Reid and Nagi were both sprawled out on the ground, and three men were walking towards them.

Bradley Crawford walked over and knelt, reaching a hand out and taking Nagi's pulse. Finding it strong and steady, he lifted the slight body into his arms and stood, then turned.

"Uh… Brad?" Schuldig called. Crawford turned.

"What?!" He snapped. Schuldig pointed at the third man, the quiet, pale one eyed man covered in bandages. Crawford looked at him.

"JEI!" He called sharply. The one eyed man was standing over Reid, with Reid's hair in his hand, holding his head up… a knife was in his other hand. He looked up and stared at Crawford, looking disappointed.

"He needs to die." The one eyed man hissed, pressing the blade to Reid's throat.

"No. Not now." Crawford said. "Let's go."

"DROP THE KNIFE!!!"

All three men turned and stared at the seven FBI Agents pointing their guns at them. Hotch was in front.

"Drop the knife and put your hands in the air! NOW!!!" The Unit Chief commanded.

Nagi groaned from in Crawford's arms. The man blinked and looked down at the teenage boy, then slowly set him down on his feet. Nagi looked around and his eyes widened.

"Let's go." Crawford said. "Schuldig. Get Jei."

Nagi stepped forward and raised his hand. The Agents all yelped as they were sent flying backwards across the street. When they all managed to get back to their feet the four men were gone, and Reid was lying on the grass. The group split up. Mulder and Scully ran one way, Rossi and JJ another, and Prentiss and Morgan in another. Hotch ran to Reid, falling to his knees by the boy and rolling him over onto his back.

"Spencer?" He called gently, reaching out and brushing his hair out of his face. Reid's eyes were closed, and he looked like he was sleeping, peacefully. Hotch slid his arm under Reid's shoulders and drew him up into a sitting position, leaning against the elder agent's body. "Reid. Come on, wake up…" Hotch said, running his free hand through Reid's hair. "Come on…"

Reid furrowed his brow and sighed slightly, turning his head towards Hotch.

"… Aaron…" He murmured, and forced his eyes open. Hotch let out a relieved sigh.

"Are you okay, Spencer?"

"… God… I feel so heavy…" Reid groaned.

"Come on. On your feet." Hotch said, and helped Reid stand. The boy winced and leaned heavily on the Unit Chief. Hotch frowned. "Are you okay?" He asked again.

"… Tired…"

"Come on… let's get you inside." Hotch said, looking up when Mulder and Scully reappeared.

"No sign of them." Scully said. "Dr. Reid, are you feeling okay?"

"… Tired. Heavy." Reid mumbled.

"You look pale." Scully said, frowning. "Come on, I want to check you over."

Reid groaned as Mulder ducked under one of his arms and Hotch under the other. The two elder men helped the younger back into the precinct, ignoring all the police officers looking scared. They all scattered out of the Agents' way as they took Reid to the break room and sat him down on the sofa. Scully quickly checked him over. Reid was terribly pale and had uncontrollable tremors that would come and go. Scully checked his eyes.

"… Hmmm… pupils are dilated. Eyes are glazed. Dr. Reid, are you having trouble focusing?"

"Um… A bit…" Reid admitted, his voice soft and tired.

"Pallid complexion, heavy perspiration…" Scully listed off. "Lie down. You look dizzy." Reid obeyed, and she pressed her fingers to the side of Reid's neck just under his mandible and watching her own watch. "Pulse is fast, fast heavy breathing, resp rate high… Elevated temperature."

"I'm tired…" Reid mumbled, letting his eyes fall closed.

"Is he okay?" Hotch asked. Scully sighed and looked up at Hotch.

"The confrontation took its toll, but he'll be okay." She said and stood, looking at the man. "I think you should get him something light to eat and take him to the motel. He needs to rest. A good night's sleep will be the best thing for him right now." She turned. "Mulder, I want you to go with them."

"What?"

"You don't have to stay in their room, but I want them to have backup nearby. I'll send the others along when they get back."

"Good idea." Hotch said, frowning. "Now there are four of them."

"The man in the suit was Bradley Crawford." Mulder said with a frown. "The red head was Schuldig. I don't know who the third is…"

"I'll have Garcia look into it." Hotch said, and helped Reid up.

"… Take him to the bathroom." Scully said when Reid turned green. Hotch blinked and looked down. He took one look at Reid's face, and jerked him down the hall to the men's room.

An hour later found Reid kneeling before the toilet in his and Hotch's motel room, his stomach expelling the small amount of soup he had eaten. Hotch was kneeling beside Reid, gently running a hand up and down Reid's back.

"… Any more?" Hotch asked. Reid swallowed and shook his head, reaching up and flushing the toilet with a shaking hand. Hotch helped Reid to his feet and wrapped an arm around him, helping him stand as he rinsed his mouth out and brushed his teeth. Then Hotch helped Reid across the room and tucked him into bed. Reid groaned weakly, closing his eyes. He heard Hotch move across the room and the sink running. A moment later, he felt a cool wet cloth on his forehead.

Reid cracked his eyes open and turned, looking at Hotch. He offered the man a small smile. Hotch returned it.

"Aaron?"

"Yes?"

"What happened? When I was out?"

"… Bradley Crawford came and took Nagi away." Hotch said. "He had two other men with him. The one you described as Schuldig, and another man. Very pale. Patch over one eye… He… held a knife to your throat." Reid's eyes widened and his hand flew up to his neck, rubbing it nervously. "But Crawford wouldn't let him hurt you. They ran."

"… Damn…" Reid breathed, still rubbing his neck.

Hotch sighed and reached out, gently brushing Reid's hair out of his face. "Get some sleep, Spencer." He said, softly. "You're safe." He offered Reid a smile. "You know I won't let anything happen to you." He told his subordinate, gently rubbing the cool cloth over Reid's face. Reid sighed and closed his eyes, leaning into every touch of the cloth. It felt so good on his fevered skin…

With his free hand, Hotch reached out and took Reid's hand in his own. Slowly, the young man relaxed. And eventually his breathing evened out and he slept.


	7. Chapter 7

The X Files

Hatochiisai

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Criminal Minds, OR the X Files

Hotch/Reid

* * *

Chapter 7

* * *

Hotch jerked awake to shouts outside of the motel room. With a start, he realized that Reid was no longer in bed. Then he heard the shouts.

"REID!!! LET HER GO!!!"

Hotch leapt from the bed when he heard Rossi's shout. He stumbled out of the room and stared. Down in the parking lot, Reid was sitting on Agent Scully's hips… his hands were wrapped around her throat and she was struggling desperately.

"REID!" Morgan shouted. He ran across the parking lot and tackled Reid. Hotch ran down the stairs and towards his wrestling Agents. Reid squirmed away and bolted. Morgan turned and looked at Scully. She was coughing, but seemed okay. With the others tending to her, Hotch and Morgan took off after Reid.

"REID!" Morgan called.

"Spencer?!" Hotch shouted down the street. Reid ran like a hunted rabbit, frantically darting across the street, narrowly missing getting hit by a car. He ended up on a playground at an elementary school. There, he dropped to his knees, panting.

"… Bastard…" He hissed. Slowly, he raised his eyes and stared at Nagi. "Stop the illusions… You're driving me mad! I could have killed her!"

"… You would have." Nagi said. "If it weren't for the man." Slowly, Reid stood. He took a few steps and wrapped his hands around Nagi's neck.

"Maybe I'll kill you…" He hissed.

"… Not before I send you spiraling into insanity." Nagi snapped and he placed his hands on Reid's head. Reid stiffened and gasped, and his eyes went out of focus. His hands fell from Nagi's throat to his side and he sank to his knees, whimpering.

"REID!" Hotch shouted. He and Morgan ran across the playground. Hotch seized Reid and Morgan grabbed Nagi. Nagi gasped sharply, and then everything flashed white…

Hotch and Morgan winced when bright sunlight nearly blinded them. They heat would have been stifling had it not been for the cool morning breeze… Slowly, they lowered their hands and looked around. They were in a quiet neighborhood where women in bathrobes with their hair in curlers were standing on the porch drinking coffee or watering their plants. Men in suits were getting into their cars and driving away. And then, the front door of the house they were standing in front of opened. A small boy came out. He had large glasses and a shaggy head of dark brown hair framing his pale face. He looked to be about ten.

"No way…" Morgan breathed, his eyes widening. "Hotch… That's Reid!"

"Where the hell are we?" Hotch gasped.

"You fools!" They both turned and stared. Nagi Naoe stood behind them, looking pale and frightened. "What have you done?!"

"What have WE done?!" Morgan repeated.

"We're inside his mind!" Nagi hissed, his clenched fists shaking. "TOO far!"

"In his mind?!"

"These are his memories we're in! And thanks to you, we might be trapped!"

"YOU brought us here!"

"Not on purpose! You startled me! Made me push too far too hard!" Nagi snapped.

Hotch paid no mind to the arguing pair. He only had eyes for the young boy making his way down the sidewalk with an empty backpack slung over his shoulder.

Nagi and Morgan turned when they realized that the Unit Chief was walking away, following little Spencer Reid down the street. Morgan and Nagi glanced at each other, then turned and chased after the man, deciding that they could continue their argument later; best to stay together.

"Hotch?" Morgan called, jogging up beside his superior, who was staring at Spencer with a strange look on his face.

"He's so…"

"Puny?" Morgan offered with a slight smile, looking down fondly at their team mate as a child.

"How old do you think he is?" Hotch asked with an enchanted smile.

"Nine. Ten. I dunno." Morgan shrugged, eyeing the look on Hotch's face.

"He's eleven." Nagi supplied as he shuffled along behind them. "It's the first day of his senior year in high school." Morgan glanced back at the fifteen year old psychic, then looked up at voices. At the end of the block were half a dozen boys from ages fourteen to seventeen; high schoolers. They all stopped and watched Spencer approach. The pre-pubescent boy stopped several yards away and just stared at his sneakers.

"… Is that Spencer?" One of the youngest boys blurted. "I thought he went to private school."

"No." Snorted one of the older boys, eyeing Spencer with a sneer. "He was sent to high school."

"You know that kid?" One of the other younger boys asked.

"Yeah. He went to the same Junior High I went to my first year. He was supposed to be in fourth grade or something." The first kid said, then walked over to Spencer with a smile. A smile that neither Morgan nor Hotch liked. "Hi Spencer. What grade are you in now?" Spencer glanced up at the boy and scuffed his feet a bit.

"Twelfth." He mumbled. The fourteen year old stared.

"You're not a freshman?!" He exclaimed. "How the hell did you manage that?!"

"… Tested out of the other grades…" Spencer said with a small shrug.

"How old are you?" Asked one of the other boys on the corner.

"… I'll be twelve in October." Spencer said. The oldest boys just stared hard off down the street. It was no secret that Spencer had finished their junior year at the top of the class. Rumor had it that he had been getting offers for a full scholarship for the best universities around the world for years. And the kid wasn't even five feet tall yet!

The school bus appeared around the corner and the boys all forgot about Spencer. They boarded the bus, greeting friends. Spencer parked himself right behind the driver and pulled a book out of his backpack. Morgan and Hotch smiled as they watched his dainty little finger skim down the pages.

The world grew hazy. When it came back into focus they were in a high school cafeteria. Little Spencer was in line, a small quiet child amongst rowdy pubescent teenagers. The freshmen behind Spencer were all murmuring and eyeing the boy with predatory looks. Hotch and Morgan both knew something was going to happen. But they didn't know what and they knew that even if they did, they couldn't stop it; this was a memory. These events had played out long ago. But that didn't make it any easier.

Spencer collected his lunch (milk, chicken nuggets, mashed potatoes and green beans). He smiled at the lunch lady who gave him the biggest piece of cake when he reached the desserts… as she always did. He reached the register at the end off the line. Students could pay by cash or by a lunch account. Spencer had learned long ago to never bring cash to school with him unless absolutely necessary. He reached the register and punched in his little PIN number.

"Hello Spencer. Welcome back!" The cashier said with a smile. "You still have seventeen fifty three left over from last year."

"Here." Spencer said, and pulled a wrinkled check out of his pocket and handed it to her. She smiled and took it, looking it over.

"Okay, sweetie. I'll have this added to your account by tomorrow. Have a good day!" And she ruffled his hair as he turned away with his lunch. But he didn't make it far. One of the boys behind him stuck out his foot. Spencer gasped as he pitched forwards. There was a loud clatter as his tray flew out of his hands and onto the floor, and Spencer whimpered as his chin cracked against the linoleum. Laughter and cheering swept through the cafeteria. The cashier was immediately by Spencer's side, pulling him to his feet and guiding him away, shooting glares at the freshmen. She pulled Spencer back into the kitchen and sat him down on a stool, pressing a wet paper towel to his bleeding lip that his teeth had cut into. She said nothing. Neither did he. A moment later, the lunch lady bustled over bearing another tray with chicken nuggets, green beans, mashed potatoes, CHOCOLATE milk, a piece of cake AND Jell-O.

Spencer smiled and thanked her. This wouldn't be the first time he had eaten lunch back in the kitchen, and it wouldn't be the last…

The world faded again and Hotch, Morgan and Nagi found themselves standing in a locker room.

"Oh no…" Morgan groaned. Hotch didn't look too happy either. The room was noisy, full of boys changing clothes and snapping each other with their towels. A moment later, Spencer walked in. His back pack was now full of books. He looked around the room in distaste.

"Spencer Reid?" A man called. Spencer turned and watched the coach approach him. "You Spencer?"

"Yessir." Reid mumbled.

"Okay. I'm Coach Fredricks. Coach Guillory told me about you. Come in, please." And he walked into his office. Spencer blinked, then followed. Hotch and Morgan went after the boy, Nagi still slouching along behind them.

"Coach Guillory?" Spencer asked.

"Yes. He told me you're a very bright young man. Excelled in his geography class." Coach Fredricks said. Spencer didn't reply. "But he also told me that you've had some problems with you classmates. Especially in P.E."

"… Yessir." Spencer mumbled.

"Well… I don't want any repeats of some of the things he told me happened last year in the locker room." Coach Fredricks said, and Spencer stared at his feet. "You can keep your gym clothes here in my office. And you can change in here as well. And if anyone gives you a hard time, I want you to tell me immediately." He said, laying a hand on Spencer's shoulder. "Okay son?" The boy paused, then nodded. "Good. I won't tolerate bullies in my class." The man said. "I'll let you get changed." And he stepped out of his office and closed the door, glaring at the boys who were showing a little too much interest in Spencer being in his office. A few minutes later, Spencer emerged from the office and the coach walked him out into the gym.

"At least some of his teachers protected him…" Hotch sighed, relieved. The class went smoothly. Coach Fredricks kept an eagle eye on Spencer the entire time, and several times thwarted attempts to bully the child. Towards the end of the class he sent Spencer to the showers, then kept the other boys working for another ten minutes before he let them go. By the time they got to the showers, Spencer was already safe in the coach's office, dressing. And so when the boys were dressing, Coach Fredricks walked Spencer outside, smiling down at the boy who was looking very relieved. He walked Spencer over to the school bus and bid him good afternoon before returning to the school. Spencer was curled up in his seat, contentedly reading one of several library books by the time the bell rang and students were clamoring onto the bus.

When Spencer got off of the bus, the storm hit. The freshmen surrounded him as soon as they bus disappeared around the corner and shoved him to the ground. They pulled off his backpack, scattered his books around and proceeded to beat him up. Hotch, Morgan and even Nagi watched sadly as the eleven year old was shoved around by boys almost twice his size and several years older. When they finally left, Spencer gathered up his books and limped home. He unlocked the door and slipped in, dropping his bag on the floor and listening to his mother in her bedroom, pacing back and forth and shouting about how she was being watched…

Spencer went to the bathroom and slowly took off his shirt and stared at himself in the mirror, inspecting the bruises that were already forming. Then with a sigh, he turned on the sink and began to wash the blood from his beaten face.

The world spun out of focus again and came back to reveal a high school classroom. The teacher was talking about the school open house. Spencer was slouched in his chair, staring hard at his desk as the teacher passed around the fliers that the students were to give to their parents. The bell rang and the students all left the room. Spencer gathered up his bag and heaved it onto his back, then approached his teacher's desk. He lay the paper down.

"My parents won't be there." He mumbled. The woman blinked and cocked her head.

"Why not?" She asked. "The open house lets your parents meet your teachers and understand what to expect from your classes for the year. It's very important."

"My mom is sick." Spencer said, softly. "She really can't leave the house."

"What about your dad?"

"… He left a year ago." Spencer mumbled, staring at the floor.

"Where did he go? Overseas? Is he in the army?"

"No… He just… left." Spencer whispered, and tears welled up in his eyes. His teacher stared at him for a moment, then moved around her desk and knelt before the boy, taking him into her arms and holding him as he cried.

The world faded out of focus again. When it came back, Spencer was in gym again. They were playing basketball.

"Hey! Short stuff is open!" One boy called. The kid with the ball turned and grinned, then chucked the ball at Spencer. The boy yelped as it made full impact with his face, snapping his glasses in half and sending him sprawling on the floor.

"HEY!" The coach roared in anger. The world spun again. This time, the class was doing tennis. They were playing in pairs. The ball came for Spencer, who lifted his racket. But his "partner" hurried over and swung his own racket, bashing it into the back of Spencer's head, sending the boy toppling forwards.

"Sorry, Shrimp." The boy snorted, trying not to laugh along with the rest of the class. "Didn't notice you there."

Volleyball. A boy leapt up into the air and spiked the ball over the net, straight into Spencer's face. The boy crashed to the floor, and another pair of glasses clattered to the floor in pieces. The boys were laughing themselves silly. The coach was beside himself.

Football. FLAG football, no tackling allowed. The boys conveniently "forgot" that rule and Spencer was sent to the nurse with a black eye, bloody nose and sprained wrist.

Hockey. Five boys got detentions for cross checking, slashing, hooking, tripping and roughing their smallest classmate.

Bowling. The boys seemed to enjoy targeting Spencer instead of the pins.

Wrestling and dodge ball. Coach Fredricks wouldn't even let Spencer participate.

Even ping pong on a rainy day resulted in the boy getting smacked in the head multiple times with the little paddles.

Hotch, Morgan and Nagi bore witness to the gauntlet that Spencer had to run between every class. He never made it to any class without getting tripped on the way. Each and every teacher had to call down to the main office several times over the year when Spencer didn't show up for class. Then the janitor was sent to walk the halls and call for the boy, listening for the child's answers to lead him to the locker he had been shoved into this time. On five separate occasions the janitor had to leap back as Spencer fell out, face red and head aching as he had been shoved in upside down.

Then came a quiet scene. Spencer was sitting in the library, studying. A girl came up to him.

"Spencer?" She called. He blinked and looked up.

"Harper?" He stammered, looking confused.

"Alexa wants to talk to you." She said, calmly.

"… A-Alexa Lisbon?"

"Mm hmm. C'mon."

"Oh no…" Morgan groaned, wincing. The world seemed to move in and out of focus. Spencer and Harper spoke to each other but they couldn't hear what was being said.

"what is it?" Hotch asked.

"Reid's worst high school memory." Morgan sighed. "He told me about it during the Owen Savage Case." They watched little Spencer stand and follow Harper out of the library. But the world continued to swim in and out of focus. Nagi was looking around, nervously.

"This way." Harper's voice said, as if from a distance. They walked behind the field house. Hotch's eyes widened. There stood the high school varsity football team and the cheerleading squad. Little Spencer froze… the world spun slightly… the large boys surrounded the child… their voices were echoing faintly. They seized Spencer and began shoving him around. The boy's shirt ripped and colors began to bleed, like rain was falling on a watercolor painting… Nagi was looking alarmed now.

"Brace yourselves!" He shouted suddenly. And then the world went black. There was a whoosh and several yelps. Morgan, Hotch and Nagi all found themselves lying on the ground, staring up at the night sky. Hotch slowly sat up.

"… Reid!" He gasped. The boy was sprawled out beside him, but had lifted himself up onto his elbows. He looked horribly pale and even more sick than before.

"Reid! Are you okay!?" Morgan asked, and the pair closed in.

"DON'T!" Reid cried, jerking away from them. His face was streaked with tears and his chest heaved with ragged gasps. "Don't touch me!" And he looked over at Nagi.

"You threw us out." Nagi stated calmly, but his eyes showed his surprise.

"You have NO business in my past…" Reid hissed, glaring at the boy. "NONE of you do!" and he stumbled to his feet.

"Reid." Morgan said, standing and placing a hand on Reid's shoulder. Reid whirled, viciously smacking Morgan's hand away.

"DON'T touch me!" He shouted, stumbling away from Hotch and Morgan. "Just leave me alone!" And he broke into a run. Hotch stood.

"Spencer!" He called, but Reid disappeared into the darkness. Morgan turned and looked at Nagi. The boy narrowed his eyes, then turned and began to walk away.

"Hey!" Morgan thundered, and went after Nagi. But suddenly, the man called Jei leapt out of the shadows. Morgan cursed and leapt back as a knife sliced through the air and caught his shirt. He dodged as the pale man lunged again.

"Morgan!" Hotch shouted and ran over. Morgan yelped as a trail of fire sliced across his belly. The man looked back. Nagi was gone. He slammed his fist into Morgan's jaw, then turned and darted after the young psychic. Hotch knelt by Morgan, barely noticing the sound of his team calling them.

"Are you okay?"

"… Yeah…" Morgan gasped, pressing a hand to his stomach. "It's not bad. We have to find Reid…

"… You need to get that looked at." Hotch said as Rossi, Prentiss and Mulder ran over to them. "I'll find Reid."

"What happened?!" Prentiss gasped, kneeling by Morgan.

"… You won't believe it." Morgan snorted.

"Try me." Prentiss said, dryly.

"I'm gonna go find Reid." Hotch said.

"… I'll come with you." Mulder said, and the pair ran off into the dark in the direction that Reid took. "So… What happened?"

"… We were… projected into Reid's mind." Hotch said. "Into his memories… Until Reid decided that we had seen too much and threw us out."

"… Wow." Mulder said, looking fascinated.

"Reid ran off… I think he feels… violated."

"He was in a way." Mulder said. "So… you're the profiler. Where would he go?"

Twenty minutes later, they were standing across the street from an all night coffee shop. Reid was sitting by himself, staring down into a mug.

"How'd he get that?" Mulder asked Hotch. "He's in his pajamas. He has no shoes for God's sake."

"… You have your wallet?" Hotch asked.

"Yeah…"

"… Can I borrow five bucks?"

* * *

The woman looked up from her magazine at a soft jingle. A handsome man walked in and over to the counter. He slid a five dollar bill across the surface. "For his coffee." He said softly, jerking his head towards the young man in the corner. She blinked and watched the man cross the room and sit down across from the pale boy sitting there. Odd. Another man in pajamas with no shoes on…

Slowly, Reid looked up. "… Aaron."

"… Spencer. Are you okay?"

"… Is it possible to be… raped? I mean… mentally?" Reid asked. Hotch winced.

"Spencer… I'm so sorry…"

"It's not your fault." Reid said softly. "God, I just…" He lowered his head. Hotch reached out a laid a hand on Reid's hand. And he frowned. Reid's skin was cold and clammy. His hand was shaking.

"Reid? I think we need to get you into bed." The man said. A moment later, Mulder walked in.

"Agent Rossi is here with the car." He said. Hotch nodded and helped Reid stand, then guided him outside and into the car. Once back at the motel, Rossi helped Hotch get Reid upstairs and into bed again.

"What happened?" They both asked the other at the same time.

"… You first." Hotch said.

"… From what I can tell, Scully heard Reid shouting outside in the parking lot. Went out and found him backed into the wall shouting at the air. She went down to check on him and he just attacked." Rossi said. "You?"

"Nagi accidentally sent us into Reid's memories." Hotch said, staring down at Reid who had passed out the moment his head hit the pillow. He sighed and wet down a cloth, laying it on the boy's forehead again.

"Get some sleep, Hotch."

"Night Dave." Hotch sighed, and slowly moved to lie down next to his lover. He turned out the light and rested on his chest, draping an arm over the boy's hips and just… watched him until he fell asleep.


	8. Chapter 8

The X Files

Hatochiisai

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Criminal Minds, OR the X Files

Hotch/Reid

* * *

Chapter 8

* * *

Hotch was woken at 10 am by his phone ringing.

"Hotchner." He grumbled into it, and Reid opened his eyes and looked at him. Hotch frowned, then sat straight up. "Where?!" He got up from the bed and began fumbling for his clothes. "… We'll be right there." And he hung up. "An officer on patrol spotted Nagi Naoe going into an office building that's undergoing renovations. And two blocks away from there we have another body." Reid nodded and got to his feet. "How are you feeling?"

"A lot better, thank you." Reid said with a nod, changing. "And… I'm sorry about last night."

"For what?"

"… For… lashing out at you like that. It was just… really unnerving, having someone in my head like that, it…"

"It's okay." Hotch said. The pair slid their credentials into their pockets, holstered their guns and went outside. Hotch banged on Rossi and Morgan's door and Reid went to wake the girls. A moment later, Mulder came out of his room.

"You got the call?" He asked. Reid nodded.

"Yeah." He said, and he and Mulder headed downstairs and over to one of the cars. Hotch got into the driver's seat, and Reid took shotgun.

"The others will meet us there." Hotch said, and they took off, lights flashing.

"Who will go to the body?" Reid asked.

"We'll worry about that after we've checked out the office building."

When they got to the building they pulled on their assault gear and split up, not willing to wait for the police SWAT backup. Mulder covered the front entrance, Hotch the back and Reid took the side maintenance entrance. When the others got there, Rossi joined Hotch, Morgan and Prentiss joined Reid and JJ and Scully stayed with Mulder.

"Everyone move in." Hotch's voice ordered over the radios. The three groups entered the building, guns and flashlights raised in the darkened corridors. After a few minutes they three teams met at the elevator and stairs corridor.

"Clear." Morgan said.

"Clear." Rossi confirmed with a nod.

"All clear." Mulder finished.

"Let's move up." Hotch said, and the group of eight did just that, heading up the stairs. Morgan and Prentiss went first. They were followed closely by Hotch and Rossi. Reid and Mulder came up next, and JJ and Scully took up the rear. They reached the second floor and stepped out. Before them was a large window, and standing before it was Nagi, staring out.

"Nagi Naoe!" Morgan shouted. "FBI!"

"I know." Nagi said calmly. The group spanned out in a line, slowly approaching him but stopping halfway across the large room. Nagi turned and looked at them. "You should go before the others realize you're here."

"Others?" Rossi asked.

"My team." Nagi stated. "Schwartz."

"Schwartz." Mulder repeated. "What is that?" Nagi was silent.

"Your team." Hotch said, frowning. "Bradley Crawford? Schuldig? The man who held a knife to my Agent's throat?!"

"Yes." Nagi sighed. "You can all go home. Darren Lundquist was the last."

"Is that the name of the man you just killed?" Scully asked.

"Yes."

"why is he the last?" Reid called across the room. "Is your work done?"

"No. But I will be unable to finish. I must leave. You will never have to worry about me again." Nagi said. "I won't be killing these people anymore. I'm moving on."

"Moving on?" Rossi asked.

"I have more important things to do. These were just work outs… practice."

"Practice?" Mulder repeated.

"If murder is practice… Then what are you practicing for?!" Prentiss exclaimed, looking alarmed.

"Nothing you need to worry about." Nagi said.

"You know we can't let you leave." Hotch said.

"I just want a chance to be happy." Nagi said and turned to look at them… to look at Reid. "To find what you found."

"What do you mean?" Reid asked.

"You told me that your entire life, you were alone. You didn't find happiness until you found a family. Within your team." Nagi said, and Reid flushed slightly. His team mates glanced at him. "Now I have been given a chance to join a team. I hope I will be happy and find a family within it."

"With murderers and criminals?" Reid asked, shaking his head. "Doubtful." He glanced at Hotch. The man eyed him, then nodded. Reid gave him a small smile and lowered his gun, beginning to move closer. Hotch held up a hand, telling the others silently to stay back. "Nagi." Reid lowered his gun and reached out a hand to the boy. "How do you even know that they care? How do you know that they're not using you for what you can do?"

"How do you know that your team isn't using you for what YOU can do?!" Nagi shot back, facing Reid.

"Read my mind." Reid told the boy, smiling slightly. "I put those doubts and fears to rest long ago."

"But you did have them once." Nagi pointed out.

"Everyone doubts." Reid said. "We all have times of weakness in our lives. We just have to learn when to silence our thoughts and listen to our hearts. What is your heart telling you about this team of yours?"

Nagi stared at Reid and closed his eyes for a moment. Then he opened them again. "Nothing. It is silent. As it always has been."

"I don't believe that." Reid said, shaking his head.

"That doesn't matter. What does matter is this; Do you trust your team with your life?"

Reid answered without hesitation. "Yes."

"Even if you are in their way?" Nagi asked. Reid blinked.

"Why would I ever be in their way?"

"… If I put you there." Nagi said. Reid gasped when he felt a cold pressure suddenly settle over him. He couldn't move. At least, not on his own accord. His body straightened up and he found himself walking towards Nagi.

_You will take him outside._ Came a voice in his head. But it wasn't Nagi. It was the man with the fiery red hair… Schuldig.

"No." Reid gasped, eyes wide as he felt his own hands reaching up and stripping off his ballistics vest, tossing it aside.

"Reid?! What are you doing?!" Morgan shouted. Reid's body turned and he pulled his gun, pointing it at his fellow Agents.

"Spence?!" JJ cried.

"… He's not in control." Mulder hissed, seeing the look of horror on Reid's face… the fear in his eyes as he leveled the gun onto Agent Hotchner.

"Drop your guns." Reid heard his own voice say. "Or I'll shoot."

"Nagi! Let him go!" Mulder ordered.

"I'm not doing anything." Nagi said, stepping closer and hiding right behind Reid so that no one had a clear shot of him.

Then, they heard the elevator ping. The doors opened and three men stepped out. Bradley Crawford stood there, looking smug and amused. On his left was Schuldig, on his right the one eyed man.

Schuldig smirked and then he and Reid both spoke in perfect unison. "Drop your guns and put your hands in the air. Or I will kill you."

"… How…?" Scully gasped, frowning.

"Who do you think is teaching Nagi how to use his telepathic abilities?" Crawford asked. "He learns from a Master."

"You son of a bitch…" Morgan hissed, looking back and forth between Reid and Schuldig.

"Drop your guns or I'll make him shoot." Schuldig commanded, a lopsided grin of amusement on his face. "How do you think he'll feel if he kills his lover?" Hotch turned and looked back at Reid, torn. The boy's eyes were full of fear and tears ran down his face.

"Aaron… please…" He whimpered.

"Yeah, Aaron…" Schuldig chuckled. Slowly Hotch lowered his gun, then knelt and slid it across the floor and into the wall.

"And the other." Crawford said with a smirk. Hotch glared, but removed the gun from his ankle holster and slid it across the polished floor after the first. "And the rest of you." One by one the others gave in, kneeling and sliding their guns away, Morgan also removing the one he kept strapped to his ankle.

"Good. Now come here, Nagi. These Agents will step aside and let you pass." Crawford said. Nagi stepped out from behind Reid and strolled across the floor. The Agents all shuffled to the side and allowed Nagi to pass unmolested. All but Hotch. He did not move, nor did he break eye contact with Reid.

"Let's go." Crawford said and pushed the button to summon the elevator.

"Tell me Agent Hotchner…" Schuldig said, suddenly. "You told Dr. Reid there how SWAT breaks it down… 'Front Sight. Trigger Press. Follow Through. If you do those three things you'll hit your target every time.' That's what you told him, right? Well… let's see if that's true." And he narrowed his eyes, a sadistic smirk on his face. Reid's eyes widened.

"No…" The boy gasped as he felt his finger tightening on the trigger. "No… No!" He cried out at the deafening report of his revolver.

"AHN!!!" Hotch yelped, his body jerking. He stumbled back and fell to the floor. A moment later, Reid saw the blood.

"NO!!!!" He screamed, and his free hand twitched as the devastated tears flooded down his face. His hand twitched again. "NO!!!"

"Hotch!" Rossi gasped, and he and Morgan ran to the man, dropping to their knees beside the Unit Chief.

"Schuldig!" Nagi gasped, looking shocked. The elevator opened and they stepped into it.

"NO!!!" Reid screamed, and jerked his body back into his own control, his other hand coming up to grip the gun. "I WILL NOT LET YOU LEAVE!!!" He saw red and he took aim at that arrogant grin…

"Hotch…" Morgan gasped, when the man slowly sat up.

"I'm okay…" Hotch groaned, clutching the wound. "Just my arm..."

"Reid no!" Prentiss shouted, and Hotch, Rossi and Morgan turned.

"BASTARDS!!!" Reid shouted, pulled the trigger. And he kept pulling it. The shots rang out. But the bullets stopped several feet away from Schuldig as Nagi's eyes glowed red.

"You will not hurt my team!" Nagi hissed, then threw his hand out. A shockwave sent all the agents falling to the floor. Reid gasped at the sudden impact into his chest. Glass shattered. The eyes of seven Agents turned up and watched in horror as the body of the eighth crashed straight through the window, flew through the air in a graceful arc, then dropped out of sight. A moment later, they heard the sickening thud of flesh and bone slamming down onto concrete… the elevator doors closed, and all was silent…

No one moved. No one spoke. They were all frozen in shock.

Mulder and Scully moved first. They glanced at each other, then ran to the window and stared down.

"Oh God…" Scully breathed, closing her eyes and looking away. Mulder said nothing. He just stared at the body sprawled out below, limbs thrown around haphazardly, a pool of dark red slowly forming a macabre halo around the young man's head. Trickles of red streaked down the pale face from the boy's nose and mouth. Mulder let out a long, sad sigh… But then, he frowned. A finger twitched…

"My God…" He gasped, then turned and ran across the room, pulling out his phone. "He's alive!"

The Agents all scrambled to their feet and ran down the stairs, Mulder in front calling for an ambulance. Hotch nearly knocked people down the stairs as he fought to get past them. He ran across the lobby of the building and out the door, skidding to a stop as he reached Reid. He stared down and felt his chest constricting his heart, the pain in his arm forgotten. Slowly, he knelt beside the broken body of his lover, reaching out and gently placing his hand over Reid's hand, afraid to touch anything else…

Scully dropped to her knees and reached out, pressing her fingers to Reid's throat. "… He has a pulse. It's weak, but it's steady." She said, looking up at Hotch.

"Spencer…" Hotch called, his voice thin and choked. He reached up and laid a shaking hand on Reid's cheek. The boy didn't move.

Hotch didn't notice the arrival of the ambulance. He just watched in silent terror as Rossi pulled him away to let the EMT's work on him and Reid both…

* * *

"… FBI?"

The team looked up when a woman walked into the hospital room where Hotch was sitting on the edge of the bed, his arm in a sling.

"Yes." Rossi said. She nodded.

"I'm Dr. Clarisse McKay. Aaron Hotchner?" She asked, looking over the papers in her hands, then at the man on the bed.

"Yes." Hotch said, standing.

"I need to speak with you." She said.

"This team is a family." Hotch said. "You can speak with all of us." She looked around, nervously.

"Mr. Hotchner…"

"Agent." Hotch said.

"Agent Hotchner. The thing is… you are Dr. Reid's… well… you hold Power of Attorney." She said. Hotch's heart clenched.

"… What's wrong with him?" He gasped, eyes wide.

"I'm afraid that the news I have isn't good, Agent Hotchner." Dr. McKay said. "We did all we could, but… He's fallen into coma. We've had to put him on full life support."

"… I want to see him." Hotch whispered in a dry tone.

"Sir—"

"Please."

"… this way." Dr. McKay said, but held up her hand to the team. "I'm sorry. Just Agent Hotchner at this time." Hotch looked back at his team.

"… Go." Morgan said, looking pained. Hotch nodded and followed the doctor.

"… What are his chances?" Hotch asked, softly. Dr. McKay sighed.

"I don't know for sure. I've called in a neurologist to review the case."

"But your opinion? Your HONEST opinion… don't hold back. I have to know."

"… He may never come out of it, Agent Hotchner. And even if he does, it could be years. And, there is also significant probability of brain damage. If he wakes up… he may never be the same again." She said, and they stepped into a room. Hotch stared, devastated. "I'm sorry. I… I'll let you have a moment." And she stepped out, closing the door.

Hotch stood there in silence for several minutes. Finally, he forced his feet to carry him over to the bed side. He didn't even notice the hot tears running down his own face as he reached out with a shaking hand. Reid lay sprawled out before him, pale and broken… it was only because of the machines around him that he was even alive. His bruised chest rose and fell mechanically as the respirator did his breathing for him. Little censors were placed over his head and chest taking readings… of what, Hotch did not know. An oxygen mask was in place on Reid's face, and a tube ran down his throat. IV catheters had been placed in his arms and fed his body much needed fluids and medications, and also replenished the large volume of blood that he had lost.

Hotch looked down at the long fingers that he held in his own hand… they were so cold and frail… And Hotch couldn't take it any longer. Tears rolling down his face, he sunk to his knees and rested his forehead on the cold hand and cried as he was overcome with guilt and despair…

* * *

Sorry the update was so late. I was really busy training and preparing for my Black Belt Midterm. But here you go!


	9. Chapter 9

The X Files

Hatochiisai

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Criminal Minds, OR the X Files

Hotch/Reid

* * *

Chapter 9

* * *

Scully knocked softly on the door, and then she and Mulder stepped in. They looked around.

The BAU was keeping a silent vigil over their young comrade. Hotch was sitting in a chair, holding Reid's hand. Morgan sat against the wall, his arm around Penelope Garcia who had flown out the day after Reid was pronounced as comatose. JJ was sitting by the window, staring out at the golden sky as the sun prepared to set. Her eyes were red and puffy. Rossi was standing by the bed staring down at Reid, but he sighed and turned away when the X Files Agents came in. Prentiss looked up from where she was curled up in a chair, half asleep.

"How is he?" Scully asked softly, taking Reid's hand in hers and gently stroking the skin.

"… He's stabilizing." Rossi sighed, glancing at Hotch who simply sat and stared at Reid's face. The man held Reid's fingers in one hand, and was stroking Reid's hair with the other. Just like he had been doing for the past two weeks.

"Any sign of him?" JJ asked.

"No." Mulder said, frowning. "Nagi Naoe has… vanished."

"You won't find him." Garcia said, softly. Mulder looked at her.

"Did you find something?"

"… I found Schwartz." Garcia said, and pulled out her laptop. Mulder and Scully walked over to see what she had. "From what I can see… they're assassins for hire. They go by code names. Oracle, Mastermind, Berserker. And recently added, Prodigy."

"Bradley Crawford is Oracle." Mulder murmured. "He's a precognitive. Schuldig, the telepath, is the Mastermind. And the Berserker?"

"No real name that I can find." Garcia said. "But they claim that he doesn't feel pain."

"So Nagi Naoe is Prodigy." Scully said. "Are they freelance?"

"No… I don't know who is in charge of them, but someone is pulling the strings." The woman said, looking at Mulder and Scully. "and they operate in Europe and Asia. Especially in Japan and Germany. I'm gonna guess that they're going to be headed back there. I don't think you'll catch them."

"… So that's it then." Mulder sighed, shaking his head. He looked back at the bed and at the delicate form in it. "… They're just gonna get away with this…" He walked over and stared down at Reid, grief on his face. He had truly enjoyed the week he had spent working with the eager young genius. The boy was genuinely interested in everything that Mulder had to say… such a thirst to learn… In infuriated him that this had happened to the boy… and the men responsible would get away…

* * *

Hotch awoke when the door opened. He turned and watched Dr. McKay walk in. She smiled at him. Hotch glanced at the clock. It took a moment, but then he realized that as of three hours ago, it had been three weeks. Three weeks since Reid had fallen into the coma.

"Agent Hotchner." Dr. McKay said. "I think that in a week, we will be prepared to move Dr. Reid to a facility in Virginia, per your request. He's as stable as he's going to get." Hotch nodded, turning and gently caressing the boy's face, then laying his hand down on Reid's bare chest, feeling his heart gently thumping against his ribs.

"… His other injuries are all healing well." Dr. McKay said after a moment, wanting to give this man as much good news as she could… She admired his devotion to his Agent. The rest of the Agents had reluctantly returned to Quantico when the Section Chief had ordered them to. But Hotch had refused. And he made it clear that he would quit his job if it would force him from Spencer Reid's side. He would stay with Reid until the boy was settled in a hospital near Quantico, and only then would he return to work.

"His fractured ribs look good, and his bruising is almost gone. His vitals are strong. Good pulse, blood work is beautiful. We even ran a urinalysis this morning. Everything looks fantastic." Dr. McKay continued. Hotch didn't respond. She sighed and walked over, laying a hand on the man's shoulder. But she said nothing. What could she say? Reid's body may be healing, but the specialist had confirmed her suspicions. Reid was in a coma, and there was no way to predict when he would wake from it… IF he ever did…

Dr. McKay sighed and left the room, leaving Agent Hotchner to sit and maintain his vigil.

* * *

No one noticed the boy walking down the white hallway of the hospital. He walked up to the desk and stared at the back of the head of the nurse before him and closed his eyes. He sifted through information… When he got the room number, he turned and headed on his way. He passed several people. No one saw him. He had made sure to touch their minds and make himself invisible.

Finally, he reached the room. He reached out with a pale hand, and pushed the door open. He stepped in and closed it.

He stared silently at Agent Hotchner. The man was asleep in a chair beside the bed. Slowly, Nagi made his way across the room and around to the other side of the bed. Then he looked down at Spencer Reid and sighed.

"You." Hotch hissed. Nagi looked up and stared at the man. He stood.

"I'm not here to hurt him." Nagi said.

"You did this to him." Hotch growled eyes blazing in protective fury.

"… I'm sorry." Nagi said softly. "I've come to fix my mistake."

"… What do you mean?"

"It's my fault his mind is locked away. I'm here to set it free." Nagi said.

"How?"

"I have to go in and find it." Nagi said calmly.

"… Take me with you." Hotch said, staring Nagi in the eye.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes." Hotch said. Nagi sighed, then nodded. A moment later, the door opened.

"About time." Nagi snorted. Hotch turned, and stared.

"YOU!"

"Me." Schuldig said with a smirk. "I don't want to be here any more than you want me here."

"This is YOUR fault." Nagi snapped. "You're going to help me fix it."

"Yeah, yeah. I know." Schuldig said, rolling his eyes and laying a hand on Nagi's shoulder. He closed his eyes, took in a deep, then slowly let it out. "Okay, I'm ready. Let's wake Sleeping Beauty." Nagi sighed and reached out, laying one hand on Reid's forehead, and his other on Hotch's hand. He closed his eyes, and Hotch gasped as he felt like he was being sucked through a dark tube…

A moment later, he opened his eyes. He and Nagi stood side by side in a vast dark abyss.

"… Where are we?" Hotch asked.

"… In your Agent's mind." Nagi said, looking around. "… I've never been in a comatose mind before…"

"… Do you have any idea what you're doing?"

"… Improvising." Nagi said.

"… What are we doing then?!"

"We need to probe into his mind. And search for him. Schuldig will make sure we don't get lost or trapped." Nagi said, and began walking. Hotch blinked and followed. He looked around, frowning. He never wanted to have anything to do with Mulder and Scully's X Files again… this was too much.

They made their way through the darkness for what felt like hours. Hotch didn't like it. Not at all. It felt like it was getting colder and darker with each passing minute. He was getting tired. He could tell that Nagi was, too. But neither suggested stopping. Hotch was beginning to feel a grudging respect for the boy. He still seemed determined to find Reid. And Hotch hated to admit it, but Nagi was his only hope to get Reid back…

Reid… Spencer… Hotch sighed. Why did everything happen to him? Why had he been unable to protect him?!

"There." Nagi said, softly. Hotch jerked himself out of his train of thoughts and stared up ahead of them.

"… What the hell is that?!" He breathed, his eyes slowly growing wider.

"… I'm not sure." Nagi admitted. "I don't know what a coma looks like. But that could be it."

Before them was a transparent orb floating in the air. It had dark swirls in it, like marble. These dark swirls seemed to reach into the orb itself… it became strands of material looking almost like liquid obsidian. And these strands of material were wrapped around a thin pale body, holding it suspended within this strange bubble. Reid hung head down, his body at a rough forty five degree angle. His limbs were held up and back at awkward angles from his body, the black material coiled up his arms and legs, and larger bolts of the material were wrapped around his hips and chest.

Hotch slowly stepped forward, staring up at the boy. His hair fell in loose tangles around his pale face and his thick lashes rested on his cheek. Pale pink lips were slightly parted, and he looked… sad.

"How do we get him down?" Hotch asked. Nagi blinked, then turned and stared off into space. A moment later, he turned back.

"Schuldig says that this is only the shell. First, we have to release him from a deeper place." He said, then placed a hand on Hotch's shoulder. "Hold on." And the darkness around them faded and swirled. Then it all came back into focus. Hotch frowned.

"What is that?" He asked. Before them was a small, concrete cube with a single door in it. The door had one small window, and it was barred.

"That's what we have to break him out of." Nagi said. Hotch looked at him, then turned and ran to the box. He reached the door and peered in. Inside, a harsh white light was glaring down onto the padded walls. Hotch heard a whimper, and his eyes darted to the far corner. And his heart broke.

Reid was curled up in the corner, wrapped up in a straight jacket. He was rocking himself and crying, his entire body trembling. Hotch seized the door latch and rattled it, but it was locked. Reid let out a frightened cry and jumped, burying his face into his knees as his body was wracked with dry sobs.

"Spencer!" Hotch called out to him. "Spencer! It's okay! It's me! Aaron!" He turned and looked at Nagi. "Can't you… blast this door down?" Nagi blinked.

"… We're in his mental plane. I can only enter it! I can't manipulate things in here!" Nagi exclaimed, acting as though Hotch should have known that.

Hotch groaned. He turned and eyed the door.

"… Can I kick it down? Or will it hurt him?" He asked.

"… I don't know. But we have to get him out or he'll never wake up." Nagi said. Hotch nodded.

"Alright then." He said, then raised his foot and placed a practiced kick into the door. Reid cried out at the impact, and Hotch could hear him sobbing hysterically. He growled to himself, and kicked it again, harder. Reid's cries fueled him. He was not going to let this door keep him from his Agent… the boy needed him… And dammit, he was going to be there for him. With a loud roar of challenge at the door, one more kick defeated it. The door splintered and fell in. Hotch quickly ducked through the doorway and fell to his knees beside his hysterical Agent.

"Reid!" He gasped, grabbing the boy's shoulders and pulling him up to face him. "Spencer…" Reid stared at him, eyes wide and panicked.

"… Aaron?" He gasped.

"Yes." Hotch said with a smile.

"… Why am I here?! I… I'm not crazy! I'm not!"

"Shhh… Hey… Hey… It's okay. I'm here to get you out…"

"Promise?!" Reid asked, his voice high and bordering hysterical. Hotch nodded.

"Turn around." He said, and Reid turned, sitting on his knees. Relieved tears rolled down his face as he felt Hotch working at the straight jacket. And a moment later, his arms fell away from his sides. Hotch helped Reid to his feet and stripped the jacket from his lover's body, hurling it aside. "Come on." He said, and guided Reid out of the cell. But as soon as they crossed the threshold, Reid vanished.

"… What… where?!"

"Behind you." Nagi said. Hotch turned and stared up. They were back before the glasslike bubble with Reid's nude form suspended within.

"Schuldig says that this is the prison that the coma is keeping him in… the other was the prison built by his own mind to keep it from being lost." Nagi said.

"How do we free him from that?" Hotch asked, looking up at the orb.

"… I don't know. Schuldig doesn't know either." Nagi said. Then he frowned and eyed Hotch up and down. "You kicked down the door. Maybe you could shoot through that." Hotch blinked at the boy, then looked down. Sure enough, there was a gun at his hip. He blinked.

"Apparently, his mind equates that as a part of you." Nagi said. "Look at you. This is how he sees you. You weren't dressed like this in the hospital room."

Hotch blinked and then realized that Nagi was right. He had been in jeans and a t shirt in the hospital room. Now he was in his suit, with his guns, and his little FBI ID tag pinned to his front. He turned back to the orb, and stared. He could see himself in it. His reflection. His eyes widened and he slowly drew closer.

"That… that's how he sees me?!" He gasped. He hardly recognized himself! He looked… well… amazing! "… I look like a Greek God in a business suit!" He blurted, and Nagi smiled slightly in amusement. The man was clearly both flattered, baffled and embarrassed.

"And you probably see him differently than how he sees himself. We all see ourselves as being less attractive than our significant other sees us as being." Nagi said. "You gonna get him down?"

Hotch blinked, then stepped back, pulling his side arm. He raised it, and fired.

The sound of shattering glass was accompanied by shards flying everywhere. Hotch pulled the trigger again and again and again, watching as cracks spread out across the orb. When his gun was empty, he lowered it. He could see and hear the cracks continuing to form… Then, the globe shattered completely. The glistening fabric seemed to melt away, and Reid's body fell. Hotch moved, and a moment later the boy fell into the man's outstretched arms. Nagi watched in silence as the man gathered the body and held it close, speaking softly to the boy.

"… We have to go." Nagi said. "We set him free. Now we wait. Schuldig says he'll wake in his own time. But it will take him a while to gather the strength to do so."

"I'm not leaving him here." Hotch said, staring down into Reid's face.

"… You can't do anything for him now. We've done our part." Nagi said. "Look around. It's already getting warmer and lighter. There's nothing more we can do in here. And as he wakes, his mind will become dangerous for us to stay in. We're in it too deep. We HAVE to go or we could be trapped. For good."

"… Alright." Hotch sighed, and gently lay Reid down. He smoothed the boy's hair out of his face, then took off his jacket and draped it over Reid's inert form. Nagi placed a hand on Hotch's shoulder, and the world spun.

When Hotch opened his eyes, he was back in the hospital room. Slowly, he turned and looked at Nagi and Schuldig.

"Tell the doctors that he's showing signs of waking up." Nagi said. "He'll be okay."

"… Thank you." Hotch breathed, looking slightly confused. "But… why?"

"I've seen into his mind." Nagi said. "And he's a good person. I didn't want to hurt him. But he was a threat. But I did this to him. So I had to fix it. I have. Now I have to go."

"You know I can't let you." Hotch said.

"… And you know you can't stop me." Nagi said. Hotch didn't reply. "When he wakes… tell him I said goodbye. And that I'm sorry. And… tell him I said thank you." And Hotch watched as Nagi and Schuldig walked out of the room, unnoticed by the hospital staff. Hotch wanted to chase after them, but in his heart he knew it was pointless. He wouldn't be able bring them in.

Instead, he turned and slowly sat down on the edge of the bed, reaching up and gently stroking his lover's face. And under his fingers, he felt a twitch. Hotch stared, then slowly smiled.

"… Come on, Spencer." He called, gently. "Wake up…" And he turned and left the room to get the doctor.


	10. Chapter 10

The X Files

Hatochiisai

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Criminal Minds, OR the X Files

Hotch/Reid

* * *

Chapter 10

* * *

Morgan sighed and watched the man being shoved into the back of the police car. He blinked when his phone rang. He pulled it out of his pocket and flipped it open.

"Hey, Baby Girl. We got him." He said.

"Perfect timing, Hot Stuff. You need to get to the air strip. I'm on my way to the airport myself." Garcia said.

"You are? What for?"

"I just got off the phone with Hotch. Nagi Naoe paid a visit to the hospital." Garcia told him. Morgan's heart stopped in his chest and he whirled.

"GUYS! We gotta move! Nagi Naoe showed up at the hospital!" He roared. JJ, Rossi and Prentiss stared, then ran to the SUV and they all piled in. "Baby Girl, you're on speaker. What happened?"

"Is Spence okay?" JJ asked, anxiously.

"Calm down!" Garcia said, smiling. "Hotch says that Nagi took him into our Boy Wonder's head. He says they broke him out of the coma! Doctors confirmed it. Reid is showing signs that he's coming out of it!"

* * *

Hotch looked up when the door opened, and he smiled.

"Wow. That was fast." He commented when the team all but fell through the door.

"What happened?" Rossi demanded.

"Did he wake up?" JJ asked.

"Quiet down." Hotch said, calmly. The group stared at him as he sat by Reid's bed, running his fingers through the long chestnut locks with one hand, and holding Reid's hand in the other. The team settled in quietly, and Hotch told them everything.

"Ever since then, his brain activity has been increasing." Hotch said, looking up at the monitor linked to the sensors placed all over Reid's head. "And he's been twitching. She says he may wake up within the next day or two."

"… He didn't wake up when you broke him out of the coma?" Garcia asked, blinking.

"No." Hotch said. "He was freed from the coma but Nagi said that he has to wake up on his own, and he has to gather strength to do that. It will take time. Possibly another whole day or two. But I thought you all would want to be here when he wakes."

"We do." Garcia said, with a nod, reaching out and brushing strands of hair out of Reid's face, and the group all settled in.

It was seventeen hours later that Hotch lifted his head. He stared at Reid's hand in his, pale and delicate… The fingers twitched again. Hotch was immediately wide awake and alert. He stood and leaned over, reaching out and laying his palm on the boy's cheek. Thick eyelashes fluttered and Reid sighed softly. Hotch smiled slightly, and waited. Minutes crawled by. An hour passed. Fingers twitched again.

"Hotch?" Morgan yawned, opening his eyes.

"I think he's waking up." Hotch said, and Morgan stood and walked over to the bedside. "He's been moving around a bit over the last hour or so." Morgan nodded. He took Reid's other hand, and laid his other on Reid's shoulder.

"Reid…" He called. "Come on, Pretty Boy. It's time to wake up." Slowly, the rest of the team began to wake and gather around the bed.

"Come on, Reid." Prentiss said, gently running her hand up and down Reid's leg. "No more slacking off."

"… Give him a kiss, Hotch." JJ suggested.

"What?" Hotch asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Worked for Sleeping Beauty, man." Morgan agreed, grinning.

"Ohhh, jinkies!" Garcia giggled, obviously delighted with the idea. Hotch rolled his eyes and Rossi chuckled.

"Enough, all of you." He snorted, but they could all see the silent laughter sparkling in his eyes.

"Wake up, Spence…" JJ called.

"Come on, handsome." Garcia cooed, leaning over and kissing Reid's forehead. "Open those big beautiful eyes, baby…"

Hotch looked up at the woman, and at the rest of the team. And he couldn't help but think about what Nagi had said. About what Reid had told him. Reid had told Nagi that he had been lonely all his life and hadn't truly been happy until he found himself a family within his team. Hotch smiled. This team truly was the family that Reid needed.

He looked down when the fingers in his hand twitched, then slowly curled. Reid was weakly holding Hotch's hand. Minutes continued to creep by… And then, the boy turned his head ever so slightly. His brow furrowed and he gave a weak moan. The team stood around watching, holding their breathes. It felt like an eternity, but then, eyelashes fluttered and brown eyes cracked open. They closed again for a moment, and then opened once more. A mass exhale of relief went around the circle surrounding Reid's bed, and he found himself greeted by smiles, and in some cases, joyful tears.

"Oh, God… Spence…" JJ sniffled. Reid stared at her, then slowly smiled.

"JJ… hi…" He whispered, his voice dry and weak. He turned his head. "Hotch… D'we get'm?" He mumbled.

"… No." Hotch said, softly. Reid closed his eyes and let out a sigh of disappointment and frustration. "They're gone. For good." Reid opened his eyes again and looked at Hotch.

"… For good?"

"They left the country." Garcia said. "And… all evidence of their existence has been… destroyed."

"What?" Reid gasped, suddenly looking much more awake. "How?" And he began to move around, as if trying to sit up.

"Spencer, no." Hotch said, and he and Rossi firmly pressed Reid down onto the bed. "Rest. You need to take it slow and easy."

"How long have I been out?" Reid asked, his voice getting stronger. The team glanced around at each other, nervously.

"… I'll get the doctor…" Rossi mumbled, and left the room. Reid blinked after him, then looked at Hotch expectantly.

"You've been in a coma for three weeks." Hotch said, getting straight to the point. Reid's eyes widened and he stared at him.

"What?" He breathed, looking stunned.

"By all rights, you should still be in it, kid." Morgan said.

"Nagi was here a day and a half ago." Hotch said. "He went into your mind and broke you free. It's… thanks to him that you're awake. Otherwise… you may have never come out of it."

The door opened and Dr. McKay rushed in. "My God…" She gasped, staring at Reid. "It's nothing short of a miracle!" She walked over, grinning widely. "Welcome back, Dr. Reid. You're one of the luckiest young men I've ever seen." She turned to the team. "I know he just woke, but I must ask you to leave while I check him over."

The team grumbled but filed out, after Garcia planted another big kiss onto Reid's forehead.

A week later saw the team on the jet, flying home to Quantico. Hotch was sitting on the couch reading over the case that the team had finished without him. Reid was napping with his head in the man's lap. When the plane landed, they found someone waiting for them.

"… Agent Mulder. Agent Scully." Hotch said, surprised. The pair smiled at the BAU team.

"We heard that you were bringing Dr. Reid home today." Scully said. Reid grinned.

"Hi!" He said, limping off of the plane.

"You're walking?" Mulder asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah." Reid said with a shrug. "The doctors couldn't figure out how I healed so quickly."

"A certain psychic woke him from his coma." Hotch said with a smirk. "I have a feeling that his abilities may have… helped and encouraged the healing process."

"… Nagi Naoe brought him out of the coma?" Scully asked.

"He did." Hotch said. "He took us into Reid's mind and… we broke him out."

And an hour later, the group was sitting around a large table at a family style Italian restaurant, and Hotch had just finished telling the story of the journey into Reid's mind once more. The team had heard it already, but Mulder, Scully and Reid hung onto Hotch's every word. Reid looked a bit unnerved at the part where he was locked in a padded cell in a straight jacket, but overall he was fascinated. At the end of the story, Hotch looked at Reid.

"He asked me to pass on a message to you." Hotch said, looking at Reid. "Nagi told me to tell you that he said… Thank you. And that he's sorry. And he asked me to tell you goodbye for him." Reid stared at Hotch, then looked down and poked at his fettuccini alfredo.

Scully reached across the table and laid her hand on Reid's. He blinked and looked up at her, and offered her a tentative smile.

"You know…" She said. "It's not like we could have charged him with the murders. Who would have believed it? All evidence would have been circumstantial. There was no forensic evidence. And this is if we even managed to catch AND HOLD him."

"I guess." Reid said. "You know… in a way… I'm kind of glad that he got away. He touched my mind. And I touched his. He's not a bad person. He's just… lost."

"Well then." Rossi murmured, and lifted his glass. "Here's to that kid finding his way." One by one, all the Agents lifted their glasses.

"Here's to him finding himself." Reid said.

"And here's to his doing the right thing at the end." Mulder added, lifting his glass to Reid.

"To him bringing our boy genius back to us." Garcia said with a smile, seizing Reid and nearly crushing him in a big hug to her chest (his cries of protest were muffled by her breasts, to his embarrassment) and she planted a big kiss on the top of his head.

Hotch was the last to lift his glass. "Nagi."

And they drank.

* * *

Hotch and Reid slowly climbed the stairs up to Reid's loft apartment over a little coffee shop and a bakery. Hotch's hand rested gently in the small of Reid's back.

"You know…" Reid said, as they stepped into the loft and closed the door behind them. "When we first agreed to take that case, I thought to myself… if I ever had to leave the BAU… maybe I could transfer to the X Files."

"You're kidding, right?" Hotch asked, laughing slightly.

"No. I did think that."

"And?"

"… I think I would lose my sanity. I am NOT cut out for what Mulder and Scully do. I think I'll stick to profiling." Reid said with a slight smile. "They may not have the title SPECIAL Agent, but it takes a special kind of Agent to do what they do." Hotch chuckled.

"If you talk to most agents in the Bureau, they all believe that Fox Mulder is a 'Special' Agent." He said.

Reid gave Hotch a look. "Agent Mulder is a good man. He just has different views of things." Reid said indignantly.

"I never said I believe that! But I'm sure the Bureau is full of skeptics. Of course they'll not take him seriously if they don't believe. But just because THEY don't believe, it doesn't mean that the things he investigates aren't true. I wasn't a believer. Then I worked this case. Now I have to re-work my beliefs. Seeing is believing."

"… 'For those who believe, no proof is necessary. For those who don't believe, no proof is enough'…" Reid mused. (AN: used in 4x14, Cold Comfort. Love that quote.)

"I'm gonna grab a shower." Hotch said, and Reid nodded. When Hotch got out, Reid was curled up on the sofa. He smiled at Hotch and stood, heading into the bathroom for his turn for the shower. Hotch kissed the boy's cheek as he passed, then dropped onto the sofa himself.

Reid returned quickly and walked across the loft, rubbing his hair dry with a towel, already in his pajamas. Hotch smiled at him.

"Come here." He said. Reid smiled and walked over, sitting down beside Hotch and allowing the man to wrap an arm around him.

"You know… part of me is glad that we couldn't bring Nagi in." Reid sighed. "And… I hope that his team can be a family for him, but… I seriously doubt it."

"He's a lot like you." Hotch said. "A kid with an amazing gift. All alone. No one to rely on. You empathize with him."

"Why the hell do I always end up relating to the bad guy?" Reid blurted. Hotch chuckled.

"Shhhh… There's nothing wrong with that." The man said, kissing Reid's forehead. Reid sighed and leaned against Hotch, resting his head on the man's shoulder. Hotch smiled, tilting his head to the side and resting his cheek on Reid's damp hair.

"So… Aaron." Reid said, slowly. "When he was doing his illusion trick… what was Mulder doing to me?" Hotch's face deadpanned and he slowly lifted his head and looked down. Grinning, Reid lifted his eyes and stared up at his lover, face alight with mischief.

"… Don't make me fire you." Hotch growled and Reid burst into laughter, delighted at his success of ruffling Hotch's feathers. "Oh, laugh it up, kid." Hotch snorted, but smiled and wrapped his arms around Reid and pulled him into his lap. "I owe that boy everything…" Hotch breathed. "He brought you back to me…" The elder murmured. "God… I can't lose you, baby… I love you so much… I can't lose you… And I was so scared that I had… The idea that all I would ever have was… years of sitting by your side while you… slept… unable to wake…" He shook his head, closing his eyes. Reid sighed, curling his arms around the man and drawing him into a comforting embrace. Hotch rested his head on the boy's thin chest and listened to the soft rhythm of his heart. Reid turned his head and the man felt the youth's warm breath on the nape of his neck and thin arms holding him.

"I'm here, Aaron." Reid whispered into his ear. "I'm okay. I'm right here with you… I love you."

"I love you too…"

"But now, I have a challenge for you."

"Oh?" Hotch asked, looking up at Reid. And immediately, he frowned at the look on Reid's face. "… Reid…" He said in a warning tone.

"… Judging by your refusal to answer me… and how defensive you get when I bring it up… I would say that in the illusion, Agent Mulder was doing one hell of a job on me." Hotch GLARED. "I'm challenging you to top that."

"… Be careful what you wish for…" Hotch hissed, taking Reid into his arms and carrying him across the loft. "You'd better be damn grateful that you're still on medical leave. Because when I'm done with you, you won't be able to get out of the fucking bed in the morning!"

"Hotch!" Reid squealed, squirming and giggling as Hotch threw him onto the bed.

"Don't you start complaining now…" Hotch growled and pounced Reid, kissing and groping and fumbling at his clothes. "YOU started this. And now, I am fucking you… and I am fucking you long, and hard… over and over and over again until you won't be able to get out of bed for a month… which works for me because then I can fuck you again any time I want…"

"Aaron!" Reid gasped, starring at Hotch with wide eyes and a red face sporting a scandalized expression.

"Don't you get SHY on me now, EITHER!" Hotch snapped and grabbed Reid's shirt before ripping it straight down the middle. Reid gasped and stared up at Hotch with wide apprehensive eyes and trembled, quite intimidated by Hotch's sudden animalistic demeanor. "Just remember… you ASKED for this…" And he gripped Reid's pants and jerked them down, another rip being heard. Reid squeaked and squirmed as Hotch raked his gaze down over his body. Reid blushed and averted his eyes.

"I love you, Spencer." Hotch said suddenly, making Reid smile slightly, which brought a smile from Hotch. He stroked Reid's cheek and turned his face upwards, then leaned down and kissed him. Reid cooed at that, making Hotch smile and curl his arms around the boy, lifting him into his chest and cradling him with the most gentle, loving tenderness that he could muster.

"You are… more than I ever dreamed I could have… And more than I have ever deserved…" The man breathed into Reid's ear. "I lost Haley… Dammit, I'm not going to lose you…"

"I love you." The boy cooed softly in response, curling his legs around Hotch's waist as he ended up in the elder's lap. Hotch smirked and stared at Reid, thoughtfully.

"What?" Reid asked, cocking his head.

"Just trying to decide how to fuck you." He said, and Reid blinked, then smirked.

"However you want." He purred, and Hotch grinned.

"Perfect." He said, then flattened Reid to the bed and smothered him with kisses while he groped around for a bottle of lube in the bedside table.

* * *

Part of this scene has been removed due to explicit content

* * *

"…. I love you, Aaron…" Came the soft coo.

"… I love you too, baby…" Hotch sighed, holding Reid close. Reid smiled and nuzzled into Hotch's chest, sighing and relaxing. Hotch smiled back sleepily and drew the blankets up over them, flicking out the light. He moved to withdraw from Reid's body, but the boy stopped him.

"Don't… please… stay there…" He said softly. Hotch nodded and stroked Reid's hair.

"I love you, baby…" He whispered.

"Mmmm…" Reid sighed in answer, and Hotch smiled. Less than a minute later, Reid was fast asleep. Hotch waited another few minutes or so before rolling off of the boy, feeling a slight sense of loss as his spent member slipped out of Reid's body. Reid whimpered and pouted. Hotch smiled and rested on his side behind Reid, pulling the boy into his chest, spooning against his back. His fingers gently rubbed up and down Reid's chest and belly, and Reid relaxed again. Hotch buried his nose into Reid's damp hair and closed his eyes, letting himself drift away…

* * *

My apologies for all of the removed scene. The site admin is cracking down on explicit content. If you wish to read the story in its entirety, you will be able to find it soon on adult fan fiction . net. Remove the spaces from that... site admin also doesn't allow links on this site... For the full story on this current crack down, please visit my profile.

Please review!


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